Golden Sands
by Ashla
Summary: The King of Thieves is out for revenge and he intends to get it through the pain and suffering of the Pharaoh. But there is one problem. It isn't Yami's blood that is being spilt, but that of his only family member, Yugi. Rated for violence. Plz R&R!
1. Thief's Capture

Disclaimer: Yu-gi-oh! isn't mine. 

A/N: Whee! My first YGO! fic. My sister has had some great success in this area, so I thought, 'Why not give it a go?'   
This one's based around one of my favourite characters in the anime. It'll be easy to guess who once you've read about two lines, heehee. Others might come into it, I'm not sure yet.   
Please tell me what you think! On with the fic! Please R&R and enjoy!   
**Note:** The name for this wasn't actually picked until I had part 9 done, heehee. A great friend of mine, Jon, suggested it, so thanks Jonathan!   
**Note2:** Reuploaded coz Fanfiction doesn't let the little stars be used, so the whole chapter was a bit confusing with no separation marks. That's fixed now! On we go! 

"This is talking." _'This is thought.'_

-------------------------------------------------------------------   
Golden Sands  
Part One  
------------------------------------------------------------------- 

A cloaked figure dove down an alleyway and immediately pressed his bulk against the cool stonewall. His breathing was laboured after the chase, and it wasn't over yet. Light silver locks stuck to his sweaty brow and he wiped his face with a tanned hand. His other hand clasped a bag tightly, holding the treasure he'd just risked his life for. He held his breath as a band of soldiers ran past, the leader of the group yelling commands to the others. 

Once they'd passed the man, in his late twenties, released his breath in a long sigh. He mumbled a few curses at himself and started to sneak down the alley. _'How could I have made such an amateur mistake!'_ his mind yelled as he slipped from one shadow to the next. His mistake had been getting to cocky when he'd gotten into the palace. He'd gotten what he'd wanted, but thinking it was so easy, he had headed off to find more. _'I should have known it was a trap,'_ he thought and narrowed his chestnut-brown eyes. As soon as he'd left the room where the golden goblet had been, which now lay in the bag he held, around twenty soldiers ambushed him. He'd managed to escape, but not unharmed. 

He paused in the dark to touch a deep gash on his right arm. He winched on contact and took his hand away, looking at the warm blood on his fingers. _'Just what I need, more scars.'_ The sound of footsteps snapped him back and he ducked behind a water barrel. The shadow of a man stepped around the house and held up a lantern. 

"Nothing here, Sir," the man yelled. His voice showed him as a young man, maybe in his twenties. _'Typical young soldiers, all they do is look down the alley, they never look close enough,'_ the thief thought, and this time, was grateful for the mistakes the soldiers were making. He was injured and too tired to run much further. 

He stayed in that place for over half an hour. Soldiers had come back a few more times, each time looking harder down the alley. _'Better move, they're getting too close,'_ he thought and stood up when all was quiet. He removed his sandals, so as to make less noise, and started to run. Another ten minutes passed and the cloaked man stopped outside a door. Eyes darting around, he assessed his situation. _'Doesn't look like I was followed.'_ He nodded to himself and pushed open the door. He went in and shut it, locking it tight and putting a thick wooden beam across the door for defensive purposes. 

He crossed the room and dropped onto his bed; a wooden frame with a cloth spread over some straw for a mattress. He closed his eyes and lay there for a while, catching his breath. Once slightly rested he rose again and opened his bag. A grin spread over his lips as he removed the jewel encrusted golden goblet. The moonlight coming from a small window hit the jewels and made them shine brightly. _'It was worth it,'_ he thought as he admired his prize. He crossed to the far wall and opened a large chest. Inside laid numerous objects, all shining, all priceless, all stolen. The goblet was placed on the top and he shut the chest. 

_'Next task,'_ he thought and rooted around the single room house for some bandages. He got a bowl of water, a cloth and the bandages and settled down to clean up his arm. Just as he tied a knot, a loud banging sounded on the door and voices yelled from outside. 

"Bakura! We know you're in there! Give it up!" came a voice and Bakura growled. Leaping to his feet, he looked around for a way out. The only other chance of escape was the window, and there was no way he would fit through it. A flaming torch was thrown through the window, which was just an open hole in the wall, covered by a small animal skin to keep out some of the drafts. It landed on the bed and the dry straw ignited straight away. 

Bakura's eyes widened and he tried to put it out. He heard that same voice outside again calling, "If you won't come out easy, we'll burn you out!" 

"I guessed that already you moron," Bakura hissed and abandoned the bed, the flames now too far gone to stop. The flames licked the walls and the wooden shelves caught fire. Thick black smoke filled the room and Bakura was thrown into a fierce coughing fit, the smoke filling his lungs. "No! It can't end like this!" he growled and he attacked the flames again, using the little water he had in a fatal attempt to put them out. 

Mere moments later everything flammable in the room burned. Bakura stood in the middle of the room, coughing uncontrollably. His eyes burned and tears ran down his cheeks from the smoke. He began to sway from side to side and then all he knew was darkness. 

------------------------------------------------------------------- 

A teen the age of nineteen sat in a large room, looking anxious. He was adorned in a light white tunic, tied at the waist with a sash, spun with gold threads, and a blue cloak was pinned to his shoulders with gold pins. A gold crown rested on his head, half hidden by his strangely coloured hair and looped slightly around his ears to keep it in place. His hair was black and a deep pink, almost red, colour and he had blond at the front and running back through his hair, like lightning. His jewellery consisted of bangles around his wrists, armlets around the upper part of his arm, a long earring in each ear, and a couple of rings on his left hand. Finally, a gold shaped pyramid hung around his neck. The Millennium Puzzle. He tapped one of his sandaled feet. 

The pharaoh tapped his fingers on the arm of his throne. It was now early morning and he was watching the sun rising over the hills beyond the opened doors. He was waiting to hear news of how the plan had worked. They'd placed one of the rarest pieces of gold they had on display in hopes that Bakura, known as the King of Thieves, would attempt to steal it. It was a huge risk for the pharaoh to take, as if this plan didn't work, there would be war over the lost piece, literally. The goblet was known to have magical properties, which, in the wrong hands, could spell disaster. 

_'I knew we shouldn't have done this,'_ he thought and sighed. He rubbed his temples and closed his eyes. "We should have heard something by now," he muttered. 

"Don't stress, my pharaoh," a young boy spoke up. He looked like the pharaoh in some aspects, their hair was almost the same save this boy's blond didn't run back through his hair but was only at the front, but they had different mothers. The old pharaoh had married twice and each wife had born a son, the current pharaoh, Yami, and the younger boy, Yugi. Yugi worked for the pharaoh rather than being trained to become a future pharaoh himself if anything happened to Yami. Even though their father was the same, Yugi's mother was banished from the kingdom after murdering their father. Yugi was only a baby then, and Yami a young boy, so mercy was taken on Yugi. Yami had pleaded with the councils to allow Yugi to live, seeing as he was to be drowned in the nearby river, and they had finally agreed, but he would be a slave. It was better than death, and Yugi was treated well. 

Yami opened his violet eyes and looked into the similar coloured eyes of his half brother. "Oh?" 

Yugi nodded. "News will come soon, I assure you," he said and smiled brightly. Yami couldn't help but smile back. Yugi was always able to cheer everyone up. He was like a pillar to a lot of people, always there and standing strong. 

"All right, I'll stop fretting for the moment," the pharaoh said and relaxed on his throne. Yugi waved a large fan to cool him down. This was one of the easier jobs for the slaves, and that was why Yugi was the one to have that job most of the time. Sometimes the young boy, who was currently twelve, would help others by letting them have the job while he toiled outside in the hot sun. Yami didn't like when he did that. He always felt more alone without Yugi to talk to. 

Yami let out a relaxed sigh and closed his eyes. They opened again when he heard footsteps echoing through the room. He sat up and looked down at the solider that came in and bowed to the pharaoh, on his knees, nose to the floor. 

"What news do you bring?" Yami commanded. He could feel his heart thumping hard and he was shaking with anticipation inside, but showed nothing but a calm exterior. The soldier stood up and bowed his head again before answering. 

"Pharaoh Yami, we have captured Bakura and retrieved the goblet, as well as many more objects stolen by this man. The plan worked." 

Yami relaxed in an instant and sighed with great relief. "That's good work. His sentence will be delivered to him in person at noon. Keep a close eye on him." 

"As you wish, my pharaoh." The soldier bowed to the floor again before turning and leaving. 

"See? Told ya," Yugi whispered and grinned when the man had left. 

Yami smiled and waved a finger at Yugi. "Now, now. You know better than to speak to me like that, little Yugi." Yugi's bottom lip jutted out a little in a pout when Yami called him 'little'. He was short for his age, and he knew it. It was because of his premature birth that his growth had been stunted. Yami laughed and shook his head. "Don't look at me like that!" 

Yugi's eyes watered lightly and his lip quivered. Yami frowned and rolled his eyes. "All right! You win!" Yugi brightened up suddenly and smirked. 

"Ha! The great pharaoh loses to a slave!" 

"Watch it." 

------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Bakura groaned and opened his eyes slowly. He blinked rapidly to clear his blurred vision and when he could see properly, he could see that he was in a cell. His arms we chained over his head and together at the wrists. His ankles bore two more shackles, which were chained together too, but with a little chain so that he could walk. There was also a shackle around his neck like a collar and it was chained to the wall behind him. He smirked. _'They must know what a threat I am,'_ he thought proudly. He looked up to look around the cell more. It was a small, square, cold cell with one wooden door at the far wall with a small window, barred of course. He noticed a guard looking in and smirked. Even chained he looked intimidating. He had a very large and strong build, but even with this build he was mostly known for his speed and agility, which usually wasn't linked with a bulky build. His dark tunic was stained with some of his blood, from his arm, and now from the smoke also. 

He coughed a few times, his lungs still irrigated from the smoke he'd inhaled. He shook his head and looked up to the door. _'Stupid guards,'_ he thought and sighed, resting his head back against the wall and closing his eyes. He shifted his position a little, trying to get a little more comfortable, which wasn't easy when you were chained to a cold stonewall so you couldn't stand. He rolled his head and cracked his neck, which had gotten stiff from hanging down against his chest while he was out cold. He clenched and unclenched his hands in fists, trying to get some blood back into his arms. 

He spent the next while trying to get up but with no luck. An hour later he looked to the door as he heard a few new voices. One he knew as the man that had been yelling outside of his house. The lock was opened and the door pushed in. A strong man appeared and scowled down at Bakura, then smirked. 

"So, you finally woke up. About time." 

"Now that's no way to treat special people," Bakura said and grinned as the soldier's grin dropped to a frown. His head snapped to one side as he received a hard blow across the face. 

"There's nothing special about you, you scum!" the man yelled, his fist rose to strike again. He stopped when Bakura looked back up at him with a proud grin. He cursed mentally, now realising that Bakura was only trying to get him worked up, which he had done. 

"Me, one. Twats, zero," Bakura said and laughed, a cold, evil laugh. The soldier growled and lowered his fists. 

"You'll be given your sentence at noon, so enjoy yourself as much as you can for the next three hours." He turned to leave and heard Bakura say, "Oh, but I intend to." Bakura's voice sent shivers up the soldier's spine and he slammed the door shut. "I hope you rot in hell," he muttered and left. 

------------------------------------------------------------------- 

"Bring out the prisoner!" 

Bakura was dragged out of the dungeon. He tripped on the chains around his ankles but steadied himself and walked tall. He was led to a platform high above the sands below. The sun was at its hottest now and he now only had his tunic tied around his waist, letting the sun hit his exposed torso, legs and head, but he was used to it. 

Ahead stood the pharaoh, standing under a large palm leaf, held by Yugi. Bakura grinned and chuckled. 

"My, my. Is this audience all for me?" he asked, looking down at the crowds that had turned up to hear his sentence. "And the pharaoh was dragged out too? Why, I'm honoured." He laughed aloud, even more so when he saw Yugi cower back. Bakura had long gotten to the fact that he was more than likely done for, unless he got away, so was able to take all of this calmly. 

"You won't be laughing for much longer, thief," Yami said in a cold tone. Bakura was forced to his knees and Yami stared down at him. "Bakura, your sentence for all your treason, is death!" 

"Ohh what a surprise," Bakura muttered and looked over as the executioner came out, black cloth covering his face, a double bladed axe in hand. 

"Prepare to meet your maker." Yami's tone was as cold as ever and Bakura looked up and glared at him. 

"I don't think so." 

-------------------------------------------------------------------   
To be continued....  
------------------------------------------------------------------- 

That was fun to write Please drop me a line and tell me what you think! Laters! 

Slán slán!   
Ashla   
E-mail: pokemonbundlehotmail.com 


	2. Escape

Disclaimer: Yu-gi-oh! isn't mine. 

A/N: Me again! I'm going to try and start doing responses to reviews, okies? No promises I'll get them for each part, but I'll try! 

**Responce to reviews:**   
**CrimsonEyedAngel99:** Heehee, yeah, I stop it in a few bad places along the way ;; I'm trying to get peeps to come back and read the next part, lol. If you're reading this, then it worked! ; I'm glad ya liked it and I hope more will! I know I am anyway Thankies for the review!!! 

**Chicary:** It's angsty? Heehee, that wasn't intended, but if it is, that seems to be what a lot of YGO! readers go for, lol. Yeah, I might have gone a little silly saying that you'd know him in a few sentaces. If I was reading this, I wouldn't, lol. There was a separation but Fanfiction wiped it out for some reason... I've replaced them now with lines The were the little stars. Looks over it. Gah! That looks really bad! Fixing! Sorry about that, FF.net's fault for that confusion. Thanks for the review and saying that! I would have never noticed and all the chapters would be one big mess ;; 

**Nicky:** Yay! I was hoping to be different I actually haven't read a huge amount of YGO! fics so I never knew if someone did this kinda thing or not. Thanks for the review! 

**Anonymous:** Here's the update! Sooner than what I was going to do, but meh Heehee. Yugi does talk more in this chapter than in the last. Trust me, he's a really main guy in this Thanks for the review! 

**yla/all4him:** Here ya go Thanks for the review! 

Now on with part two! Please R&R! 

-------------------------------------------------------------------   
Golden Sands  
Part Two  
------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Bakura was pulled over to a block of solid wood and forced to his knees. He looked down over the crowds that had shown up to witness this event in history taking place. Bakura, the King of Thieves, was going to lose his head today, or so they thought. Bakura had other plans. _'I'm not ready to die just yet,'_ he thought as the shackle from around his neck was removed and his head was pushed down. His long silver hair was pushed to one side, exposing his tanned neck for the axe blade. 

The executioner chuckled and raised his blade over his head. The sun shone on it, making a blinding shine hit Bakura's eyes. He squinted and scowled up. His mind raced and a plan formulated. _'I've only got one shot at this,'_ he thought and clenched his hands in fists. _'This better work!'_

Pharaoh Yami crossed his arms and watched with emotionless eyes. Bakura was finally getting what he deserved. He had been robbing the empire blind for years now, and nobody had been able to even get close enough to catch him. His strength and speed always made sure of that. And anyone that did get close didn't live to tell the tale. "This ends today," he whispered to himself, overheard by Yugi, who was standing just behind him, holding a palm leaf over the pharaoh's head to give him some shade. Yugi looked at Yami with slight fear. He'd never known him to be so set on someone's death before, but he had heard of the terrible things Bakura had done, so he was able to agree to this death in his heart. 

The blade was raised higher. Bakura took a breath to steady his nerves and got ready. The blade came down. In that second Bakura pulled his head back and raised his shackled legs so the chain was where his neck had been a mere second ago. The speed of this was so quick that nobody knew what had happened until the clang of the axe hitting the chains sounded. Bakura leapt to his feet, chains broken, and wasted no time in heading for an escape. Screams rose from the crowds below, spurring up a panic. 

"After him! He mustn't get away!" Yami yelled and soldiers were on Bakura's trail in no time. Yami cursed mentally and turned around, marching back into the palace, Yugi following with quick steps. 

Bakura glanced over his shoulder and saw the amount of people after him. He looked forward again and sprinted down the street. There wasn't anyone around to get in his way as they had all gone to see his execution. He nearly lost his footing a few times because of the chains on the shackles around his ankles. They hit his legs as he ran, once or twice wrapping around one and nearly bringing him down. The adrenaline in his blood was high and his heart was racing. Any pain he was supposed to be feeling was dulled for now by the sheer rush of the chase. 

He took a sharp corner. The smell of stables rushed at him and he knew where he was going. He took another turn and ended up in a stable yard. He wasted no time in picking a strong stallion from one of the stalls. The stallion was a pale grey colour with dark black spots on its chest and rump. Its mane and tail were white. This horse was also already tacked with a saddle and bridle. 

Bakura stepped into one of the stirrups and hoisted himself up onto the beast's back. He grabbed the reins and kicked hard, digging his heels into the stallion's sides. The horse neighed and bolted out from the stables. Bakura was finding it hard to keep a steady hold on the reins, seeing as his wrists were still caught up in the shackles and tied together. The sound of the horse's shoed hooves hitting the stones on the ground echoed through the empty streets. They flew past the group of soldiers, all on foot, and shot out of the city. The horse, once on the sand, slowed slightly but Bakura kept it going by giving it another sharp jab in the ribs. The chains on his ankles hit the horse like a whip, making it go faster than it had ever run before. 

"Come on you stupid beast!" Bakura hissed and urged it on further. "No stopping until I say!" He looked back over his shoulder and saw a cloud of sand rising behind him, near the city. Guards were now pursuing him on horses. "Just great. More fun." 

------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Yami paced up and down in his room, muttered to himself about Bakura, slipping out the odd curse now and again. Yugi watched from the door with a frown. 

"Pharaoh? This isn't your fault. Please relax." 

"Relax?! How am I supposed to relax?! The most dangerous man in all of Egypt just escaped from us and is now who knows where?!" Yami yelled, suddenly feeling very dizzy. He groaned and sat down on the corner of his bed, lowering his head into his hands and resting his elbows on his knees. 

Yugi quickly got a bowl of cool water and a cloth and went to Yami's side. He dampened the cloth and asked Yami to lift his head. He pressed the cool cloth on the pharaoh's forehead. Yami sighed and lay back on the bed. Yugi fetched a second cloth and knelt beside Yami on the bed. He wiped down the pharaoh's face, neck and shoulders with cool water. "Please, relax. You're getting yourself too worked up over this," Yugi spoke softly, crawling off the bed and removing Yami's sandals. Yami sighed as Yugi washed his feet and then massaged them lightly. His stiffened muscles relaxed and he closed his eyes. 

When Yugi was finished, Yami sat up and smiled. "Thanks Yugi. I needed that." 

Yugi smiled. "No problem. I know how to cool a hot head like you down," he said and chuckled, taking the cloths and putting the bowl away. 

Yami shook his head and chuckled. Raising his head, he looked out over the nearby balcony. He got to his feet and walked out. Looking down, he saw that the crowds that had gathered were long gone, all having gone back to their business. He looked out over the golden sands with a frown on his lips. _'Such beauty, yet I can't enjoy it without thinking of him,'_ he thought and sighed once more, heavily. 

Yugi was at his side moments later, looking over the city below with his half brother. "So many lives all working away at their own thing," he muttered, causing Yami to look down at him. "I mean, who knows what goes on down there? We're up here, they're down there, and even though it's the same city, it's like we're worlds apart." 

_'I wonder what he's getting at,'_ Yami thought and looked down to the buildings spread out before him. His gaze rose to see the golden sands beyond the city again and that one man entered his mind. _'Where is he now? I hope he's caught.'_

------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Bakura's horse, now dubbed 'Stupid Beast' by his rider, was after slowing to a walk. It couldn't go any faster anymore. The heat of the sun was tremendous and it, plus after running flat out for over an hour, would take its toil on any creature. Bakura was feeling the strain too, even though he was riding the stallion. They had long since lost the soldiers following them and Bakura was glad he knew which horse to pick when he arrived at the stables. The grey stallion was the strongest, fittest and most rested horse there, and so was able to go much further than the others. 

They arrived at an oasis and Bakura dismounted. He collapsed beside the lake and dunked his head into the crystal clear waters. He snapped it out, throwing his now soaked hair over to his back, leaving a wet trail snake its way down his bare back. He drank heavily, relishing the taste of the liquid as it rolled over his tongue and down his throat. The horse was drinking with just as much need, taking large gulps at a time, as much as it could. It wasn't long before both animal and man had satisfied their thirst and were now resting in the shade of a few palm trees. 

Bakura was glad he knew of this oasis, and that he came here often. He strode over to one of the trees and knelt in the sand. He dug in the sand with his hands and uncovered a dark wooden chest. He grinned and sat down. Upon opening it he looked in at the small stash he kept there. The first thing he took out was a small pin, which he used to pick the locks of the shackles. It wasn't easy but he got them open. He rubbed his raw wrists and grunted. They, and his ankles, were red from the shackles, and his legs also from when the chains hit them. There were a few small gashes, but nothing major. He tossed the binding shackles into the lake and returned to his chest. He pulled out a few pieces of clothing, a pouch of gold coins, and a rope for a belt, sandals, and a couple of small daggers. He crouched down once dressed to remove the final item. He picked up the necklace and held it high, letting the sun shine on its golden shape, giving it a glowing effect. 

"At least they didn't get you," he said in a gruff voice and lowered it around his neck. He looked at the pyramid shape in a circle, and then ran his fingers over each of the five golden spikes that hung from the ring. "Yes, nobody shall have you, my Millennium Ring." He spoke to it, an evil glint in his eyes as they narrowed suddenly. "But as for everything else I had, that stupid pharaoh now has it all!" He yelled in frustration and punched a tree trunk behind him. Blood slid down from his knuckles, but he didn't care. "Why?! Why must that snobby brat always get his way?! He has enough, he doesn't need anymore!" 

The horse looked over at him and flicked its ears, as if commenting on something. Bakura looked at it and snorted. "What would you know, you're just a horse." The stallion nickered and then snorted, stomping one hoof on the sand. 

The Millennium Ring around Bakura's neck glowed and he looked down at it. "What's that?" His eyes glazed over and he fell silent. After a moment he burst out into an evil laugh, spooking his horse. "Yes! That's perfect! Take revenge on the pharaoh, kill him, and make myself pharaoh!" His maniacal laugher rang out. He grabbed the ring and lifted it up. "Oh what would I do without you?" he asked it and kissed the golden ring, which glowed for a second. He let it drop down against his chest and he faced the horse. "Alright you stupid beast, rest up coz we've got a return journey to make in a few days." 

The horse snorted and turned its back on Bakura, flipping its tail at him. Bakura growled and crossed his arms. "Stubborn mule." 

-------------------------------------------------------------------   
To be continued....  
------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Alright, that part was a little shorter, and... weirder... but two parts in one day! Also, I've had these two parts done before I even came up with the name, lol. Not bad, for me. This is fun! Heehee, Bakura's horse has attitude! Dunno why, but I like that horse ;; It's a bad boy like his rider.   
Ohh, and another note for you here. I hope that piece with Yugi and Yami there didn't come out too yaoi'ish, coz it's not supposed to be. They're brothers here! So yaoi between 'em is a nono. This is a fun fic to do! Even if it is coming out weird, lol. Please lemmie know what you think! See ya! 

Slán slán!   
Ashla   
E-mail: pokemonbundlehotmail.com 


	3. Target

Disclaimer: Yu-gi-oh! isn't mine. 

A/N: Mise arís! (Me again!) How do you like the story so far? I'm enjoying writing it, and my sisters like it too, so that's good . I'm still trying to get more into the YGO! characters way of thinking, so that I could do them better. Again, this is my first attempt at a YGO! fic. I've blabbed enough 

**Responce to reviews:**  
**bast4:** He's a plotter Heehee, and that little talent of his does come up later on in the fic when he comes up with a nice little plot. Some of the others are in this fic, yes, and I'm trying to find places for others but I'm not going to say. You'll have to wait and see Thank you for the review! 

**Sirithiliel:** Heck yeah! Yami Bakura's the best there! He's so cool. I hope the story lives up to your expectations. Thankies for the review! 

**Chicary:** I think I might mess the characters up a little later on but I'm working on fixing that . Glad you didn't see it at yaoi I'm trying for family love, not intimate love. Thank you for the review! 

**Bayleef:** Ashla: -Blinks and looks at Bakura-   
Bakura: -takes the axe from the other review and growls, taking chase after Bayleef- I'll show you for kicking me!   
Ashla: Cranky is right. -Does a weird squeal and hugs Ryoura back tightly.- You're a cutie! You're much safer to cuddle than Pepper is too! Thankies for the review you two! 

**Kyrian:** -Gets newspaper and hits fic on the... head?- No biting the reviewers!   
Fic: -growls-   
Ashla: Weird.... Anyways ;; Yeah, this is my first Yu-gi-oh fanfic. Thanks for the tip there. I'm working on fixing the sentences so that they're not all the same, but now I'm using the word 'as' too much. Gah! I need to learn new words. -Goes to root out a dictionary.- Erm... I don't get it actually ;; Heehee. Forgive my slowness! Thank you for the review and tip! -hugs- Later! 

And here's the next part! 

-------------------------------------------------------------------   
Golden Sands  
Part Three  
------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Yami groaned, the rising sun shining into his face, and he rolled over, turning his back to it. "I don't want to get up," he muttered sleepily, opening one eye and spotting Yugi standing beside him. _'Does that boy ever sleep?'_ he thought. Yugi was always still around the palace until Yami was asleep, the last person he'd see before going to bed, and he was always the first person he saw in the mornings. "Don't you ever sleep?" the pharaoh voiced, still lying under the light covers. 

Yugi chuckled. "Morning to you too, and no, I don't. Can't you tell that I never sleep?" 

"Huh?" Yami narrowed his eyes a little and stared at him. _'Never sleeps? Ohh, wait.'_ Yami groaned again and lay on his back. "Don't go messing with my mind. It's too early for that." 

Yugi laughed and walked across the room. "Oh but you're so gullible in the morning. A guy has to find some fun somewhere." He got a bowl of cool water and a cloth and brought them over to Yami. He knelt down and held them out to the pharaoh. 

Yami finally dragged himself to the edge of the bed and swung his legs out. He shivered slightly as his feet touched the cold floor and a cool breeze blew on his bare back, seeing as he was only wearing a pair of light silk pants that he always wore going to bed. After washing his face in the water Yugi brought him a towel and then ran off to get his clothes for the day. 

While he was gone, Yami looked out over the balcony like he had a few days ago and every night since. The whole incident with Bakura happened a week ago now, and still there had been no sign of him. Yami had also been told that it was his horse that had been stolen by Bakura, which made things more annoying than they already were. That horse had been a gift to Yami when he had turned thirteen, but to be honest, he never really liked the horse. It always did what it wanted to do and that didn't change over the last six years he'd been trying to train it. He smirked and a light chuckled escaped his lips. _'Have fun with my horse Bakura. I doubt it'll like you.'_

"Good to see you smiling again." Yugi's voice brought Yami out of his train of thought. The boy placed Yami's clothes on the bed beside him and smiled, then he held out a bowl with some grapes in it. "Grape?" 

For some reason that Yami couldn't figure out, Yugi found offering Yami grapes very funny and would always chuckle to himself. He shook his head and smiled back. "I was just thinking what trouble Signet Grey was causing Bakura. It's actually amusing to imagine." He got up and started to get dressed. He heard Yugi giggle and rolled his eyes. "So, what do I have lined up for me today?" 

Yugi put the bowl down and took out a small scroll and opened it. Upon the parchment was a list of things that Yami had to get through. There was a new one made everyday, full of new tasks for him to complete, and they were always done because Yami refused to go to bed without finishing each of the jobs, something about getting work done the day you got it. Yugi started off at the top and started listing out today's tasks. "Oh, and you have a meeting with some of the townsfolk about the need for extra camels," Yugi finished, rolling up the scroll and putting it into his tunic. He wore the same thing all the time; a white tunic tied with a sash at the waist and a bangle on each wrist, but not made of gold like the pharaoh's. He never wore sandals inside, not that he really needed to while inside, but he did when he was sent to fetch something down in the city, so that his feet wouldn't burn on the hot sand. Also, Yami had given him a gold ring for his birthday a few years ago, which he wore all the time. It wasn't much, no splendid designs on it, but Yugi adored it and would never take it off. Yami had one made for himself that was the exact same and he wore it all the time also. 

"They want more camels? But I thought they got a new herd of them not long ago," Yami said while he fastened his armlets and bangles in place and fixed on his earrings. 

"True, but a lot of those camels were caught by travelling raiders last month." Yami sighed at this and rolled his eyes. 

"I should have guessed," he muttered as he slipped his crown on. He slid his feet into his sandals and fixed the sash around his waist. "Well, let's get to work. Sounds like I've a busy day," he said as he slipped the Millennium Puzzle on around his neck. 

"Breakfast first," Yugi told him, following Yami out of the bedroom. 

"Yes, yes. I know." The two headed towards the meal room where Yami, and guests if he had any, ate their meals with a view over the whole city through the nearby windows. What they couldn't see was the dark figure approaching far off in the distance, nor did Yami notice Yugi's faltering step behind him, sluggish movements nor slightly laboured breathing. 

------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Bakura swore as the horse stopped in its tracks for the fifth time. They had been riding for a while now, and it was taking twice as long to get to the city than it took leaving it. The stallion kept stopping at its own will to rest and this was angering Bakura to no end. 

"Alright you stupid beast, if you don't move I'll slit that fat windpipe of yours and let you here for whatever comes!" That got the horse moving again. Bakura groaned and rolled his eyes. _'Why am I reasoning with a stupid animal?'_ he thought as they galloped over the warming sands towards the city. 

Once they reached the top of a sand dune, Bakura halted his ride and looked down. "Now, how to get in without being seen?" he pondered. He was positive that there would be soldiers around the city's entrances, more so than before. Last time he was able to sneak in through the back gates without being seen, but he was on foot then, and even though it would be a lot easier for him, he couldn't leave the brute of an animal that he now sat on. For some reason he was getting attached to it. _'Reminds me a bit of me,'_ he thought and shook his head. 

The sound of a horse neighing caught his attention and he looked down the dune. Below him was a group of travelling merchants, returning to the city after a few months of travelling the deserts. "Perfect," Bakura muttered and smirked. "Move!" he snapped and kicked the stallion. The horse leapt into a canter and bounded down the sand dune towards the group. Bakura pulled his cloak around himself and the hood over his head. He slowed when he got closer so as not to panic the merchants and he pulled up close to the leader. "Excuse me?" Bakura nearly gagged as he said that. _'Being polite is so sickening!'_

The leader turned his head and looked down from atop his camel. "Yes? Can I help you?" 

"I would like to travel with you. My group were attacked and I was the only person to escape so I'd like to have the protection of another group, just to the city walls." Bakura kept his head down to mask his face and made his voice low, to sound shy and scared. It worked. 

"All right. You can join in the back there. By the way, that's a lovely stallion you have there. With a strong animal like that it's no wonder you managed to escape." 

Bakura swallowed his pride and muttered a 'Thank you' and turned to move back to where he would walk. He growled angrily as he took his place. _'I swear, if I have to talk like that again heads are going to roll!'_ He fell silent and watched the group he was with. They were mostly men coming home and a few women and children, but there were a few newcomers. They were easily picked apart from the others by their nervous appearance and shifty movements. _'Pathetic.'_

Then a thought came to his mind. His stallion. The guards should notice it belonged to one of them when he passed by the gates so he had to cover some of him with something. A young girl was walking beside him, carrying a bag that out weighed her by at least twice her body weight. Bakura grabbed it from her back when he was close and dropped it over his horse's neck with ease. The weight was nothing to him, but the grey snorted in protest at the extra weight. Bakura then leaned over and pulled the girl up, placing her to sit behind him. She was only young and looked as if she wouldn't make the city on foot. He heard her gasp twice in surprise, first when the bag was taken from her, second when she was pulled off of her feet. She snaked her arms around to hold his waist and he heard her say 'Thank you, Sir.' He grunted and ignored her grip around his torso. _'Weak female,'_ was all he thought, not noticing the grateful looks he was getting from some of the other travellers. _'Don't get comfortable. I'm only using you, you little runt,'_ he conversed with himself and looked forward. 

Now he looked more like he belonged with the group, and the horse was somewhat covered from direct view. He would still have to be careful though. He looked up as they neared the city and he growled inwardly as his gaze fell upon the great palace sitting on the top of a hill, overlooking the whole city. Its white walls shone in the sunlight, making it look as if it was glowing. He touched the Millennium Ring around his neck and felt its warmth as it glowed under his shirt. _'Soon, soon the pharaoh will fall.'_

They passed the gates with ease, being stopped once so that the guards could check the carts. They were waved on and Bakura followed, keeping his head down almost the whole time. Once they reached the centre of the city they turned right. Bakura knew this track off by heart. This was the way to the palace. If he hadn't been with the group, he would have had to take the long way around to get close to the palace, but this now cut a lot of time. _'Well isn't this turning out to be convenient?'_ He smirked and decided to stick with the group a little longer, to see where they went. 

"We're going to see the pharaoh about new camels," came a soft voice behind him. Bakura looked over his shoulder at the girl. "We were attacked too, a few times. We lost about five camels to raiders." Her voice trailed off and she looked down. Soft blond locks covered her face and he could hear her sob lightly, but he ignored it. 

_'This is turning out better than I would have expected. If I stick with this sorry group, I'll get into the palace with ease.'_ He looked forward again to the approaching palace. _'This is too perfect.'_

------------------------------------------------------------------- 

"The merchants are here, my pharaoh." 

"Let them in," Yami said in a bored tone. He sat down on his throne and took the drink offered to him by Yugi. He paused when he was handing it back and stared at Yugi. "Are you alright?" 

"Hmm?" Yugi's dreary eyes looked to Yami and he smiled. "Sure, I'm fine." 

"You don't look it." 

"Really, I'm fine. I'm just a little tired, nothing more." Yugi forced a smile. Truthfully, he was feeling terrible. He woke that morning with a splitting headache and his whole body ached. He didn't know what it was, but he was feeling worse than he had in a long time. _'It'll pass,'_ he told himself and took Yami's drink as he handed it to him. "No need to worry about me. You've got business to take care of." 

Yami looked down as a group of people entered the hall and all bowed to him. "All right, but I want to talk to you later," he whispered to Yugi and turned his attention back to the group. 

"My pharaoh. I am Joson, leader of this group of merchants. We were attacked by raiders a number of times on our travels and have lost a number of camels," Joson explained. 

Bakura watched Yami with burning hate. He was so close, but he couldn't move now. The whole hall was full of guards and all he had to do was make one sudden movement and his cover would be blown. 

"That boy by the pharaoh looks ill," whispered the girl, who was after following him and kneeling beside him. 

Bakura took his attention from Yami over to the boy. Indeed he looked ill. His face was flushed, his eyes were drooping, and his skin was covered in a light layer of sweat, as well as being pale. 

"I heard that he's called Yugi, and that he's the pharaoh's half brother," she explained, then fell silent as her mother tapped her on the side, whispering a 'Hush Bekka!'. 

_'Half brother huh?'_ Bakura thought and grinned. He now noticed the odd worried glance the pharaoh was sending the boy at his side. _'Yes, I have found my target. Why kill the pharaoh straight away, when I can make him suffer? You, little Yugi, are going to help me greatly.'_

-------------------------------------------------------------------   
To be continued....  
------------------------------------------------------------------- 

So now he has a target! Man I like Bakura! He's so cool! Shame there's no Ryou in this, he's so cute and sweet . The reason for that grape thing comes in later Okies, that's it for this chappie! Hope you liked. Please review! Till next time!   
By the way, I'm going away for a bit so the next part won't be up for about three weeks. Sorry! ;; I have 11 more parts ready in the wing! So no fear of me getting stuck without something to update for a little while Later! 

Slán slán!   
Ashla   
E-mail: 


	4. Caught

Disclaimer: Yu-gi-oh! isn't mine. 

A/N: More for ya Emm.... I haven't got anything to say this time, so please R&R folks! Oh, and I'm real sorry this took so long to get up! I'll try to get the next part up ASAP. Thank you!   
(P.S. Sorry for updating the last part twice. I was messing around and got rid of it by accident. Note, don't keep pressing the 'Enter' button without reading. -Rolls her eyes.- Never did that before. Later!) 

**Responce to reviews:**  
**bast4:** Heehee, I'm like that too. Having the characters getting hurt is fun! It can be really mean, but it's still fun, heehee. You'll see in this part what's wrong with Yugi, so enjoy I liked Bekka too and I'm trying to decide if I'm going to bring her into it later on or not. We'll see Thanks for the review! 

**Chicary:** -Hugs you- Thank you first of all for reading my fic from the start! Nice to see this is keeping you interested. The reason Bakura helped Bekka there was to help hide his identity and to mix into the group. Even the King of Thieves needs a little outside help at times, even if they're unaware of giving it. Heehee. Thank for the review and I hope you like this part! 

**yla/all4him:** Thank you very much for the review! 

**Sorceress Vanessa:** Sorry for not getting this up sooner! I hope that it makes up for my lapse in updating it. ; Hope ya enjoy and thank you very much for the review! 

**Pharaoh Star Yami:** Dia is muire duit! You know Irish? Yay! I'm not alone here! Heehee Is aoibhinn liom Yami fresin! Tá sé an-déas, heehee. Ach is fearr liom Bakura. An-té!!! Working on the violence I am Hope you enjoy this and thanks for the review! Slán! 

**Roae:** Glad you like the fic I'm enjoying typing it! Sorry this took so long to put up. Hmm... I was thinking that he looks like he did back in Ancient Egypt in aspect of skin colour but I like Domino version's hair better. You can pick really, but I've got a mix of the two in my mind, heehee. Thanks for the review! 

**TombRaider15:** I'm glad you like. Thanks for the review! 

On with píosa 4! 

-------------------------------------------------------------------   
Golden Sands  
Part Four  
------------------------------------------------------------------- 

An hour passed before Yami finally dismissed the group of merchants. After much negotiation they had agreed that they would receive three new camels, but Yami couldn't let them have anymore for now. The number of the animals left in the palace was depleting rapidly because almost every merchant group that went out lost at least one camel, either to death or raiders, and the royals' camels always replaced them. No more were to be handed out. 

Through the rest of the day the pharaoh, followed always by Yugi, dealt with every task that had been written up for the day. There were meetings with various groups, one being with the leader of a nearby town that was seeking alliance with Yami's city. They offered their services with protection from Yami in return. The soldiers were needed, and the town was along side a river, and was known for producing vast amounts of crops. It would be foolhardy to turn down an offer like that. 

After that Yami was taken out of the palace to make a quick visit to another town. He had to pick a few strong men to return to the city and train in his army. He climbed onto the back of a camel and patted its neck twice, the large animal complying to the silent command and getting to its feet and starting to walk on. Yugi walked alongside, holding a parasol over Yami. The heat made him slightly nauseous, making his fever worse, but he refused any help offered, saying, "I'm fine!" each time. The musty scent of the camels ran up Yugi's nose and he had to swallow hard to force himself not to throw up. He gratefully accepted a water container from a soldier and downed the contents, feeling a bit better afterwards. 

When they stopped and Yami was inspecting the men of the town, Yugi watched from the shade of some trees. The cool shade was always a welcome in the heat but not the insects that rested in the cool air in the shaded areas. Yugi swatted flies and ants that landed on him but fatigue soon crept upon him so he closed his eyes and had fallen asleep before he knew it. 

Somebody shaking him woke him from his slumber. "Hmm?" he groaned, opening his eyes and stretching his arms over his head. He looked over his shoulder into the smiling face of one of the soldiers, Honda. He was a tall man, young too, about twenty-three, with short brown hair that stuck out a little over his forehead and brown eyes to match. His sun kissed skin was partly covered in a uniform of light armour and cloth with the pharaoh's symbol on the breastplate; The Millennium Puzzle. Yugi was familiar with most of the soldiers and if his memory served him right, Honda was just promoted to the Corporal rank. 

Yugi felt they were moving and he wasn't under the trees anymore so he mumbled, "Where?" and looked around. He noticed he was sitting in front of Honda on his horse and when he looked back he couldn't see the town anymore. Looking forward again the palace was in clear view and it wouldn't take them long to get there. "How long was I asleep for?" he asked, yawning and wiping his eyes. 

"Ohh for the last hour at least. The pharaoh told me to take you because you needed the rest." Honda smiled. "He's right. You run around more than anyone in the palace!" 

"Do not," he protested and stifled another yawn. "Who's holding the parasol for Yami?" Yugi asked, looking forward to the front of the group. 

"Nobody. The pharaoh said a little sun wouldn't hurt him." 

Yugi smiled and nodded. "Thanks. You're right, I needed the sleep." His eyes drooped again and he closed them, groaning a little. He held his head with one hand. 

"You okay?" Honda leaned forward a little and looked at Yugi as best as he could from his position. The boy's skin did look pale. 

"I've felt better, but I'll be alright." Yugi opened his eyes again and nodded reassuringly at Honda. "Just a sore head. Nothing a good night's sleep won't cure." 

"If you say so. Just take it easy, pal." Honda patted Yugi on the back and kicked his horse on a bit. Ten minutes later they were back in the palace and Yugi was back to his job of following Yami around and helping him. Yami had told him more than once to take the rest of the day off but Yugi wouldn't have any of it. 

"Sure who could stand walking around with a hot head like yourself for the rest of the day?" he joked once and laughed. 

As the sun sank below the horizon that evening and the stars began to shine, Yami sighed and rubbed his face with a hand as he climbed out of the marble bath, water dripping onto the floor. "Thank goodness that's all over with. That was one long day," he said and took the towel one of the male servants offered him. He started to dry himself as Yugi walked around the room and tidied up. Yugi paused to look at the scar on Yami's back. He frowned, remembering where he'd gotten it from, and he still felt it was partly his fault even though Yami said it wasn't. He shook this feeling and continued to finish his small tasks. 

"You're telling me." Yugi brought over Yami's pants that he wore going to bed and picked up the pharaoh's clothes from the chair they were resting on. He left and fetched a new tunic and set it ready in Yami's room. He looked up as Yami came in. "You'll sleep well tonight I'd say." 

"You too." Yami pulled the covers up as he sat on the bed. "Head off now. You don't need to watch over me until I fall asleep you know. I can take care of myself." He smiled and shook his head. 

"Oh you'd be surprised. Every night when you fall asleep, the shadows come alive and I have to put a spell on them to stop them from killing you!" 

"What the-?" Yami stared at him, startled. _'He's able to hold a straight face pretty easy,'_ he thought. "Stop lying, Yugi. Go to bed." 

Yugi chuckled and bowed his head. "As you wish. Be careful of the shadows now," he said and laughed as he left the room. 

Yami shook his head and lay down. "The shadows by backside," he muttered and closed his eyes with a sigh. "Silly Yugi." Contrary this his believe, he actually found it hard to get to sleep. He was so used to falling asleep with a presence in the room that now with Yugi gone, it felt really strange. _'Don't be so pathetic, Yami,'_ he told himself and started to doze off, reaching out and touching the Puzzle for comfort, the object glowing and sending a soothing warmth through the pharaoh. 

------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Yugi walked down the hallway after washing Yami's clothes and hanging them out to dry. Yami had more, but Yugi liked to make sure he never had to wear the same thing twice without it being cleaned first. His whole body was crying out for rest and his temperature has soared so high that he was now struggling to find his way to his room. Everyone else was already sleeping so he was alone, so he thought. 

Yugi paused and looked over at a wall when he thought he saw a shadow moving from the corner of his eye. "Huh?" He rubbed his violent eyes and looked again, but the shadow was gone. _'Weird. Like I told Yami.'_ He chuckled to himself and walked on. _'I'm imaging things now.'_ As he walked towards his room, he couldn't shake this strange feeling that he was being watched, like the feeling of a hawk watching its intended prey. The feeling got so strong that he turned around and looked behind him. Nothing but a cool breeze met him, which was welcomed on his burning skin. A wave of dizziness washed over him and he stumbled over to a wall for support. He leaned heavily against it and shut his eyes tightly. He clutched his stomach and groaned. 

"You don't look well, little Yugi." 

Yugi's eyes snapped open and he looked around. That voice sent shivers down his spine, the voice was familiar but he couldn't place it. "Who's there?" he demanded, leaning his back against the cool wall. 

"Oh, just an old friend." 

"Friend?" Yugi blinked a few times, still trying to find the source of the voice. A shadow moved across the hall from him and Yugi stepped away. _'Doesn't seem like a friend.'_ He swallowed a lump in his throat and he felt his stomach twist. Right now he didn't know whether that was from the sickness, or the fear that was slowly creeping up in him. 

"Well no, I'm not a friend. In fact, I'm probably the most hated man around here right now." The moonlight came out from behind the clouds and cast its silver glow on the figure standing three feet away from Yugi. Yugi's eyes widened and he was about to scream the intruder's name when a strong hand pressed against his mouth and pushed him against the wall. His eyes were full of fear, which made Bakura chuckle evilly. 

"What? Are you scared of me?" Bakura asked and leaned over so that his mouth was beside Yugi's ear. "You should be," he whispered, smirking as he felt the boy shivering as his hot breath grazed his young ear. Bakura looked him over and made an expression that looked vaguely like confusion. "Why would the pharaoh care so much for such a short runt anyway? Ohh well. You'll do." 

Yugi's breathing quickened and he felt his heart thumping so hard he was sure Bakura could hear it in the silence of the night. He watched as Bakura reached behind his back and pulled out a sturdy wooden club. Yugi started to scream into Bakura's hand but it was muffled and then silenced by a blow across the head. Yugi stood dazed for a few seconds, eyes unblinking, unfocused, mouth hanging open, until his orbs rolled back and he collapsed in a heap on the cold floor. Blood slowly seeped through a small wound on his head, letting a few droplets behind on the ground. 

Bakura chuckled and slipped his club back into the rope around his waist and he crouched down. He brushed Yugi's hair out of his face and stared at him. _'The likeness is uncanny. You could nearly mistake this guy for the pharaoh himself if he were taller,'_ Bakura thought. He grabbed the unconscious boy by his tunic and pulled him up easily and draped him over his shoulder like a limp sack. Yugi's arms hung down Bakura's back and Bakura held one of his ankles with a hand to keep him from falling off. 

With a quick look around to make sure he wasn't seen, he ran silently through the hallways, his sandals left outside to minimise the noise. When he got to the back door he skidded to a halt and stepped back, peering carefully around the corner. Three guards stood watch, one currently sleeping on a chair at the side, the other two chatting quietly. Bakura growled and reached inside his shirt. He pulled out the Millennium Ring and held it up in front of his face, the moonlight giving it an eerie shine. "Millennium Ring of darkness and power, cast forth your monsters at this hour," he muttered huskily. The ring began to glow and a shadow grew on the floor before Bakura, drawing its energy from Bakura's own shadow, his dark soul. "Sleep let it be, do this and obey me." The shadow grew and rose up off of the floor to form the outline of a young woman. The black shape bowed its head to Bakura and then dropped to the floor like a pool of ink. 

Bakura's sight followed the shadow as it flew across the floor like a deadly serpent. It snaked its way up the body of the first guard and coiled itself around his neck lightly. The shadow took shape again and seemed to press its lips, or at least where its lips would be if it were human, against those of the guard's and he collapsed to the floor straight away, sent into a deep sleep that would stay with him for at least a week. 

The second guard woke the third and dropped to the sleeping man's side. He shook his friend in a vain attempt to wake him up. The shadow slipped from the first man unnoticed, the best advantage to using this spell during the night, and coiled itself around the second. Its actions were repeated and the second man fell, also sleeping. The third had started to run to escape and raise the alarm, getting the feeling that strong magic was at work, but the shadow was relentless; it wouldn't leave a job half done. It slipped from the second man and glided down the hall after the third like a moving puddle of darkness. Bakura heard a thump sound and knew the man had fallen. The shadow came back to him, took its shape as the woman, bowed and then vanished, melting back into Bakura's shadow and returning the energy that it had borrowed. 

The glow of the Millennium Ring faded to nothing and Bakura stepped out, wiping the few beads of sweat that graced his forehead. _'Too easy.'_ He ran quickly, stepping over the bodies of the sleeping men, not without snatching anything valuable first from the fallen men at the exit, and out the door. Outside his stallion was standing patently, chewing on some rough strands of grass. The horse raised its head upon hearing Bakura's steps and snorted when he saw Yugi, remembering the boy who used to feed him. Bakura hoisted himself up onto the horse's back in a hurry and hung Yugi's limp body over the saddle in front of him. "Move it, you stupid beast." Bakura's harsh-voiced command was enough to get the horse moving. Bakura took the back exit of the city, over the sands, so as the hoof beats wouldn't make too much noise. 

All the while the palace slept on, unaware of the trauma the young boy had just gone through and who was now lost in a void of darkness. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------   
To be continued....  
------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Fun chappie! My fave bit to write there was the piece where Bakura was talking to Yugi. Do you think this is being dragged out? I don't think enough happens in each of these parts. Please drop me a line and tell me what you think! You'll find out a little more about where Yami got that scar on his back later on. And lookit, Tristan has come into the fic! Honda is Tristan, in case you didn't know. Laters! 

Slán slán!   
Ashla   
E-mail: 


	5. Caged

Disclaimer: Yu-gi-oh! isn't mine. 

A/N: For one, sorry this took me to long to put up! I'm trying to finish the story before I put up the chapters because I sometimes need to change something in an earlier chapter to suit the actions in later ones ; So that's why this one took so long. I actually have almost the entire story finished, just to fine-tune it. Now, responses! 

**Responce to reviews:**  
**verdragon:** Thank you very much for your comment. I hope you enjoy this piece! 

**Sorceress Vanessa:** Cheers for the review! I'm really enjoying this story, and trust me, poor Yugi gets it worse later on. Poor guy. Hope ya like! 

**Ayamari:** Thanks for the review! Enjoy 

**cj:** I think the Egyptian theme is such a cool one! Yami looks great in the pharaoh get-up. Thanks for the review! 

**Chicary:** Lol, I think Bakura just wanted the easy way out. Can you imagine how much trouble it would have been dragging Yugi away kicking a screaming? Heehee, he wouldn't have gotten very far. I like the Ancient Egypt theme It's very new for me, and I'm enjoying it! Whee! Lol. Sorry this took so long to update! Bold me ;; Enjoy this part! 

**Pharaoh Star Yami:** It's great to know another Irish Yu-Gi-Oh fan other than my sisters, heehee. Having to take Irish in school isn't the worst. You get to confuse people that don't know it, lol. Good fun! It does get a little dragged out later, but I'm working on fixing that before I put it up. I'm actually almost finished typing it out. Only a few chapters and I'll have it ready for uploading, so the updates should be faster. Go raibh mile maith agut! Slán slán! 

**TombRaider15:** Glad you like How you like this part to. Thanks for the review! 

**Game Lover:** The monster wasn't an actual person or character, just a monster summon that Bakura summoned up to make getting away that little bit easier I'll try to get the parts up faster. Sorry for the wait! 

**wright more:** Thank you for the review! 

And now, part five! 

-------------------------------------------------------------------   
Golden Sands  
Part Five  
------------------------------------------------------------------- 

The sun shone against Yami's face and he muttered groggily to himself, "Stupid sun, always waking me." He rolled over onto his back and stretched his limbs out, groaning as he got the stiffness out of his arms and legs after the night. He relaxed with a sigh and then opened his eyes, turning his head to one side. He expected to see Yugi standing beside his bed, like he was every morning, but he was met this morning with an empty room. 

"Yugi?" Yami sat up and looked around the room in bewilderment. The sun was already up, so Yami knew he wasn't after waking up early, but that never happened anyway. He was known for being a heavy sleeper and hard to wake at times. Still, Yugi wasn't there no matter where he looked within the four walls of his chamber. _'Maybe he's still sleeping? He did look sick yesterday,'_ he thought and nodded to himself in confirmation. 

He got out of bed and walked over to wash his face. _'I should go see if he's all right.'_ Yami paused, his cupped hands full of water halfway to his face, as he realised something. _'I don't know where Yugi's room is.'_ He felt ashamed. Yugi was always around, and the one time he might need Yami, he didn't know where Yugi stayed. Yami frowned and shook his head. _'I'm the pharaoh, I should know. Not to mention I'm his brother.'_ He splashed the water on his face and shivered as the coldness of the liquid slapped him in the face and a few drops hit his bare skin. That woke him up. 

_'I'll ask someone, they should know.'_ He finished washing his face and picked up the clean tunic Yugi had set out the night before. He pulled it on and left the pants on the bed. He then went through his normal morning routine as he adorned himself in his usual jewellery and put on his crown, fixing it so it wouldn't fall off. He tied the sash around his waist and rested it so that the knot was on his hip, tucked neatly away under the folds of the cloth. He took a camel-hair brush and ran it through his hair, not sure if he was getting it all because Yugi usually helped him, pointing out the places he'd missed at the back. Yami looked around the room and frowned. It felt really lonely without Yugi to talk to in the morning. Also, Yugi always had the list of what he had to do, so until he found out where that was, Yami's time was his own. 

This new concept put a smile on the pharaoh's lips. He pulled his sandals on and walked out of the room, heading down to the breakfast room. He had to get some breakfast before he could look for Yugi and enjoy his free time. _'I'll ask the chef if he knows where Yugi's room is.'_ He arrived in the room, which was more like a hall, and took his seat at the head of the long table. He looked around the room and waited for the chef to come in. Usually the food was already there when he came in, but it was different this morning for some reason. _'Everything seems out of place today.'_

Yami looked over to a far doorway as the cloth coving it was pushed aside and plump man came out, dressed in a white tunic like most others and carrying a tray off sweet smelling food. The chef came over to the table with Yami's food and placed it before him, falling then to his knees and bowing, which was not an easy task for a man with a large stomach in the way. "I apologise immensely, my pharaoh, for my delay in bringing you your food." 

Yami nodded. "That's all right." He never really believed in punishing his servants for mistakes. All humans make errors, and that included himself. Besides, the food was too good to go punishing its maker. "Stand." 

"Yes, my pharaoh." 

Yami watched from the corner of his eye as the man grunted while struggling to get his large mass to his feet. The pharaoh looked down to his food on the table and was nearly put off it, thinking of all the fat in that man's body. He shook it off and ate what he was given. When he finished he thanked the chef. "Another meal well made." 

"Oh thank you, pharaoh. I am honoured to serve you." The servants came in and cleared the table, and the chef bowed his head as he backed out of the room. He was about to exit when Yami stopped him. 

"Excuse me, chef?" Pharaoh or not, manners should always be used. 

"Yes, pharaoh?" The chef halted in place and looked up to face Yami, straightening up from his bent over position. 

"Have you seen Yugi this morning?" Yami questioned, tilting his head to look around the edge of his chair at the chef. The chef came back over so that Yami wouldn't have to do that, seeing as it wasn't fit for a pharaoh. 

"No, highness, I haven't. Yugi is usually the first person up and he tells us when he is waking you, so that we can have your breakfast ready for you, but he never arrived this morning," the man explained. He was in his thirties, Yami guessed, with a friendly appearance and rosy cheeks from working in the kitchens, and a belly from tasting the foods. 

"He didn't come to me this morning either." Yami looked thoughtful for a moment. _'He must be sicker than he was letting on.'_ He rose from his seat and looked to the man again. "Where does Yugi sleep? I wish to go see him." 

"I will send for someone to take you there at once. One moment please." The chef bowed and left the room after Yami nodded to him. Seconds later a young girl about the age of twelve, clad in a white dress that reached her knees, short brown hair coming down to her ears, slightly curling to cup and frame her chin, came out and bowed to Yami. 

"This way, pharaoh," she said after getting back to her feet and she led Yami out of the room and down a hallway. Yami looked around as they walked, memories slowly flowing back into his mind. 

_'I haven't been down here in a long time,'_ he mused, remembering back to his childhood when he used to play down these halls, where all the servants stayed. His mind was replying images of his past and he smiled. He remembered one time when Yugi was young, he and Yami had been playing, even though Yami was already pharaoh by then, and Yugi had clambered into a vase. Yami went to follow but, seeing as he was bigger, got suck at the waist in the vase, head down and legs in the air. Yugi couldn't stop laughing as he pointed at Yami, stuck fast. They spent a while trying to pull him out, the chef finally getting him out by rubbing animal fat to his sides. Yami stank for ages and his clothes had to be thrown out. His smile widened as he passed by the same vase that he'd been stuck in all those years ago. 

A chuckled escaped Yami's lips. Those were the days, carefree and fun. He looked forward to the girl again and thought of something. _'This is really far. Does Yugi go all this way all the time?'_ But Yami didn't know that they weren't even halfway there. Another few minutes of walking brought them to a set of steps. There was a door at the top of these and this was Yugi's room. 

"Here we are." The girl bowed again, kneeling on the floor. "Do you wish for me to wait for you?" 

"Yes, do," Yami replied. He turned, knocked lightly on the door, and waited for a reply. When he didn't get one he pushed the door open and stepped in. From what he knew, Yugi's room was one of the few servants' rooms with an actual door; the others only had a cloth across them, some nothing at all. His gaze wandered around the room. It was a nice, tidy, little room; a set of shelves holding scrolls at one side, a small table and two chairs on the other. His bed was in the middle. Yami's eyes narrowed as he looked at the bed. _'It's made already.'_ He went over and looked at the covers. _'Either he's up, or he didn't sleep here.'_ Yami was starting to get worried now. Yugi would have come to him if he was up, but he didn't. 

"Something's wrong." He spun around, his cloak flowing behind him, and left the room. "Hey, you, have you seen Yugi at all today?" he asked the girl, making her jump at his sudden appearance from the room. 

"N-no, pharaoh, I haven't," she stuttered, bowing her head to the floor. 

"When did you see him last?" he demanded. 

"With you yesterday when you were leaving for your bath. I went to my room after that and I haven't seen nor heard him since then." She paused and looked at Yami as his face fell and he muttered something. "May I pry as to ask, pharaoh, is there something wrong?" 

Yami stared hard at her for asking, then dismissed it and then sighed. "There might well be. Tell me, where does Yugi go first in the mornings?" 

"He gets up before dawn and wakes the chef. Then he goes and wakes the servants who are needed to start the day, then he goes out to the stables and helps the stable master feed the animals and helps clean out a few stalls. Then he comes back in and gets a breakfast with the rest of the staff. Once done, he helps clean up and sorts out a few jobs. He gets the scroll with your daily list on it and goes to his room then and washes up before going to wake you, pharaoh," she told him, counting off each task on her fingers as she told him. 

Yami nearly let his jaw drop. _'Yugi does all that, by himself?! No wonder he looked so ragged yesterday. I need to make him take a few days off.'_ Yami nodded thankfully to her. "And was he there for any of that this morning?" 

"No, pharaoh. He wasn't. We all thought he was still sleeping. We saw how sick he was yesterday so we left him be." Her bright blue eyes looked up at him then dropped to the floor, remembering not to meet his gaze unless told to, so she bowed again to cover up her small mistake, not that Yami noticed anyway. 

_'And I ran him around all day yesterday. Even the servants knew he shouldn't be working. But he said he was okay... Drat! I hope he's all right and hasn't collapsed somewhere.'_ He turned around and started walking. "All right, I want Yugi found and put to bed. There's no way that fever broke overnight. Also, I want somebody to come to me when he's found. Understood?" 

"Yes, pharaoh." 

"Good." Yami went to his throne and sat down, dismissing the girl to tell the others of his order. He rested his chin in one hand and closed his eyes. _'Why do I feel like I'm missing something here?'_

------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Yugi groaned and rolled over onto his back, waking when cold metal touched his back. With waking, pain returned. "Ow, my head," he moaned, raising a hand to his forehead and putting pressure there, feeling a large lump. "What hit me?" He froze when he heard a snore from the other side of the room he was in. 

"Huh?" When he opened his eyes they widened when the view of bars on every side met him. He was in a small cage just big enough for him to lie down, if he curled up, and to sit up. He panicked and took deep breaths to calm himself. The events of the night before replayed in his mind's eye. "Bakura," he whispered. 

Out of habit, he was awake before dawn so he had woken before Bakura had. He attempted to sit up but collapsed down again, dizziness crashing over him like a wave breaking on cool seas. He felt worse than before and sleeping on a cold floor with metal bars jabbing into his back didn't help matters. 

So, rather than sitting up, he settled with looking around from where he lay. They were in a cave somewhere, telling from the stone walls with no windows and a hole for a door, through which very little light was coming in as it was covered with a cloth. The walls were practically smooth from the wind blowing the sands onto it, sanding the roughness away over the years. 

The remains of the night were slowly fading away and making way for the sun, the inky black sky changing to a dark blue, soon to become clear blue with the bright sun burning down. Yugi couldn't see much else so he watched the sun rise when the breeze blew the cloth gently to one side. When visibility was better his gaze wandered over the rest of the cave. He observed a chest against one wall, a chamber pot at the back, a small wooden stool and the bed, where his captor now lay. 

Yugi finally managed to pull himself into a sitting position when the dizziness passed and he looked down at his feet. Two heavy, metal shackles were locked around his ankles and a chain tied them together that led to a bolt on the wall, locking Yugi securely to his place. _'Doesn't look like I'm going anywhere soon,'_ he thought sadly as he pulled at the chain, stopping when he feared the noise would wake Bakura. He glanced over to the bed to make sure he wasn't noticed. Bakura was still sleeping so he looked down at his hands holding the chain. He then noticed that the bangles around his wrists were gone but his ring was still on his finger. "That stupid Bakura! Why I should -" 

His muttering was cut off when he felt a pair of eyes watching him and a low chuckled flowed into his ears. He slowly looked over his shoulder to the bed and bit his lip. Bakura was watching him with cold, amused eyes, and an evil grin on his lips. His silver hair fell over his face and bare tanned shoulders in a tangled mess. The Millennium Ring hung around his neck, and it was at the sight of this that Yugi felt the blood drain from his veins. 

The Millennium Items, seven in total, were all known to have special powers. He knew Yami had one, and that a ruler of a nearby kingdom had one also; the Millennium Necklace. She was known to use it for good, as did Yami, and the high priest that lived near Yami's palace, but the fact that someone as evil as Bakura would have one distressed Yugi greatly. 

_'No wonder he was never caught.'_

"Oh don't let me interrupt you. You would do what?" Bakura asked, his voice taunting Yugi. 

Yugi glared at him over his shoulder and turned to face him fully, his back pressed hard against the bars of the cage. He refused to answer him. 

He suddenly wished he were asleep again as a wave of nausea came over him. He turned to one side and threw up. He was on his hands and knees and shivering uncontrollably by the time his stomach was giving up dry retches. He licked his lips and cringed at the vile taste on them, mixed with his salty sweat. Yugi closed his eyes and whimpered. _'I want to go home.'_

"Aw, is the little boy sick? Poor thing." Bakura laughed, uncaring, and stood up. "You'd better clean that up, runt. I don't want to live with that smell. Bad enough you're here." 

"H-how? I'm stuck in here," Yugi whispered, opening his eyes and looking up at Bakura, who was now standing beside the cage. His large bulky form shadowed over Yugi and reminded the boy of the monsters that he faced in his nightmares when he was younger, but this wasn't a nightmare that he could wake up from. This was real. 

Bakura took out a key and unlocked the cage with a 'click'. He grabbed Yugi by his upper arm and pulled him out roughly, jerking him to his feet. Yugi gasped through his teeth as he hit the floor hard on his side. His stomach heaved again and he rolled over, but nothing came up. He pushed himself up onto his hands and knees and took deep breaths to steady himself. He opened his eyes and looked up, spotting a bucket of water in front of him and a cloth, more like a rotting rag actually. He narrowed his eyes and scowled up at Bakura. 

"Well?" Bakura crossed his arms and cocked an eyebrow down at the boy. 

"No! I'm not doing anything!" He got to his feet, falling back against the wall from the dizziness that hit him from standing too fast. His eyes narrowed at Bakura. 

Bakura stared silently at him for a moment, then smirked. "Oh really? I was hoping you would think that." 

Yugi's eyes widened as Bakura raised his hand and clenched it in a fist. He tried to move but the chains around his ankles prevented his from happening so he could only brace himself. He cried out as Bakura punched him hard in the stomach and then backhanded him across the head. The beating went on for a few minutes and by the end Yugi was nothing but a bruised heap on the ground. He curled up in a ball and tears rolled down his reddened cheeks. Everything hurt, on the outside and on the inside. 

"Now, better clean that up now, runt, before you get it worse." Bakura grinned as Yugi uncurled himself and crawled over to the bucket pitifully, painfully picking it up and bringing it back to where he had gotten sick. He soaked the cloth in the water and started to wash up. Bakura chuckled and sat down on the bed again, which was nothing more than a wooden frame and a straw mattress, like what had been in his house back in the city, before it was burnt down. 

He watched Yugi until he was finished cleaning up. "Good boy. Now into your cage." 

Yugi climbed back into the cage without protest and closed it once in, hearing the click of the lock falling into place. He felt a little safer in the cage, thinking that the bars were between him and Bakura. He looked up at the man, who just grinned at his sorry state, and then pulled his knees up to his chest. He shut his eyes tight and held the ring that was on his finger. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he sobbed. _'Yami... Please... Save me!'_

------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Yami's eyes bolted opened and he looked down at the Puzzle around his neck. It had started to glow and he heard a voice calling to him. 

_'Yami... Please... Save me!'_

"Yugi!" 

-------------------------------------------------------------------   
To be continued....  
------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Meanie Bakura! Bold boy! But I think he's still cool lol. The thing with the vase has got something to do with the manga I'm sure, but I could be wrong. My sister's know more about it than I do ; Yugi's one busy boy. The palace goes a little hay-wire without him   
When I reread this for editing I managed to add a few KB to it, so that made me happy   
Please review! I hope you liked it! 

Slán slán!   
Ashla   
E-mail: 


	6. Enlightening

Disclaimer: Yu-gi-oh! isn't mine. 

A/N: First, sorry for the wait! I have a good amount of the part done so I hope to get them to you guys faster, but you gotta take into account that school's back, EVIL SCHOOL!, so that might slow me down a little too.   
::Listen's to Desert Rose:: Heehee, really suits the fic. Anyways, thanks to all for the lovely review! Love ya guys! 

**Responce to reviews:**  
**Chicary:** He's a pretty important person our little Yugi is and a cutie to boot, heehee. I don't know if it's even possible for someone to do as much as he does and keep going. He must be full of energy I could use some of that energy myself, lol. I'm glad you like the way I write, because sometimes I think that I write too much detail. Heehee, t'was going to be someone else, but I went and changed the girl to be Téa all right. She needed to come into the fic somewhere Heehee. I had a couple of the others pop into the fic later on, but I won't say who Thanks again for your review! ::hugs:: 

**deranged black kitten of doom:** Glad you like! Bakura has other plans for poor little Yugi. Ransom means nothing to him right now, heehee. Just revenge! Thanks for the review! 

**Blazekin:** Thanks for the reviews Blazekin! I'm glad you're enjoying this fic! 

**Towairaito Zoon:** Oh yeah, Bakura's mean, but Bakura wouldn't be Bakura if he was nice, heehee. He's a major cool character and him being mean suits him so well Thanks for the review! 

**bast4:** Yeah, poor Yugi ain't having much luck is he? I'm mean ; Oh, so many questions there, but I can't tell you the answers ; You'll get your answers in the upcoming parts! I'm actually as far as part nineteen and about to start part twenty, so I have it almost finished Little warning, there are some mean cliffies later on. They're funfun! Heehee. As for your last question, I would guess that Yugi would go on the throne, but that answer is also playing a part in the story, so enjoy! And thanks for the review! 

**SoulDreamer:** Thanks for the nice review! Hope you enjoy! 

**Koumori-Dragon02:** Oh I'll keep on writing for sure This fic is too much fun not to do! I've actually almost finished it, so hopefully I'll get the parts to you guys sooner. Thanks for the review! 

**ms. lady:** Thanks for the review and sorry for the wait! 

**Sirithiliel:** Sorry this took so long And thanks for the review! 

**that was great!:** Cheers for the review Glad ya like! 

**Sakura53:** Thankies very much and here's the update 

**Game Lover:** Heehee, well having a nice sane Bakura just isn't the same. A nice sane Bakura would be Ryou, heehee. Thanks for the review! 

**cj:** Thanks for the review! 

**Pharaoh Star Yami:** Dia is muire duit a chara! First, lemmie say go raibh mile maith agut for the long review! I like fada reviews, heehee. Yeah, I know what you mean about the class. I'd love to be able to talk fluent Irish, but my teacher's so bad I don't think that will happen. I've got a three A4 page essay to write for Monday, and I've no idea what to put in it! I hope I think of something. Long day tomorrow I'd say, heehee ; Yeah, using it abroad is fun! I did with a friend once on a school tour and people were giving us weird looks, heehee. Funfun! Cheers again for the review! Hope you like this part 

And here's number six! 

-------------------------------------------------------------------   
Golden Sands  
Part Six  
------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Yami's eyes opened and he looked down at the Puzzle around his neck. It had started to glow and he heard a voice calling to him. 

_'Yami... Please... Save me!'_

"Yugi!" Yami grabbed the Puzzle and raised it up to eye level, straining his ears to listen. "Yugi? Can you hear me?" The glowing coming from the Puzzle ceased abruptly and so did the whimpering voice. Yami narrowed his violet eyes and rose from the throne swiftly. "That's it. There's no doubt in my mind now that Yugi's in trouble. The Puzzle doesn't glow for nothing," he muttered to himself as he ran from the main hall, anyone present bowing to him as he left. 

_'The Puzzle connects us because we are brothers,'_ he thought as he sprinted, _'It doesn't lie.'_ He was heading towards Yugi's room when he saw the girl from earlier, the one who had shown Yami to Yugi's room, come running in the opposite direction. He slowed down to a stop and waited for her to come to him. 

"Pharaoh!" she gasped, dropping to the floor and bowing, pausing to catch her breath. 

"What is it?" 

"It's... the men.... that were at the back exit to the palace," she gasped through breaths. She swallowed hard and sat upright, eyes on Yami's feet. "I was sent to bring them their food just a minute ago and when I got there they were sleeping, on the floor. I tried to wake them but they wouldn't stir." She bit her lip and Yami could see her shuddering a little. "One of the guards was halfway down the hallway too," she finished and bowed her head once more. 

Yami's eyes narrowed. "What is your name?" 

"Anzu, my pharaoh." 

"All right, Anzu, listen to me. I want you to go and get the high priest and get him back here as soon as you can, no excuses. Now hurry!" Anzu nodded, jumped to her feet ran down the hallway. Yami watched her for a moment before turning and heading towards the back exit of the palace. He was accompanied all the time by two guards. He was hardly ever alone, not since Bakura had gotten free. 

They rounded a corner and Yami's Puzzle suddenly erupted into a bright glow as soon as the three sleeping guards came into plain view. "Dark magic," Yami muttered and halted in his tracks. He told the two guards to search around the area for any signs of intruders or potions; bottles or small cases. He approached the sleeping forms of the guards' cautiously and knelt beside them. They hadn't been moved since the spell had been cast on them the night before. Yami's Puzzle stayed glowing, protecting him from any remaining dark magic that could be in the air. He rolled the men onto their backs and looked them over. Fast asleep. _'At least they're all right.'_

Yami looked up when he heard sandaled feet running towards them. Seth, the high priest, appeared. He was a tall man, much taller than Yami, nearly a whole two heads above him, and a year or so older than him too. A rod made of gold rested in his purple sash, another Millennium Item; the Millennium Rod. The rod had a golden orb on the top with an eye shape on the front and two blades, one shaped like an axe blade, protruding from opposite sides of the orb, but they were only small. The head of the Rod was smaller than the high priest's hand, but the whole thing itself was about two-thirds the length of the man's arm. 

Seth wore midnight blue robes that reached all the way to the floor, and a turban of the same colour, covering up his brown hair. Gold armlets adorned his arms and one ring rested on a finger. His icy-cold blue eyes surveyed the area and he shook his head. 

"Evil powers were at work here." 

"Yes, I know that." Yami stood up and faced Seth. "Can you help them?" he asked, motioning to the sleeping forms behind him. If he had trained with his Millennium Puzzle longer he probably could have been able to help the men himself, but the high priest would do it now. 

The priest nodded and walked over to the men in a few long strides. He removed the Rod from his belt and held it out, the eye pointed at the men. "Evil spirits of the shadows, be gone and leave these mortals." The Rod began to glow and Seth continued, "Return to your world, let them be, return them to being free." A bright yellow glow surrounded the two men before Seth and the third lying further down the hall. Their shadows seemed to peel of off them and rose up from the ground. The blackness took a rough shape of a winged demon and the three hissed at the priest. 

"Be gone!" Seth yelled, pointing the Rod at each of the shadows in turn. A horrible, glass-shattering screech was heard and the shadows evaporated in the sunlight. Seth turned to face Yami and bowed his head. "They have left, but these men will not awaken for another hour or so." 

"Thank you. Tell me, can you read their minds now and see what they saw last night?" It was well known that the strongest power of the Millennium Rod was that of mind reading and mind control. Yami was thankful that the Item was being used on their side and not in the hands of enemies. 

"I can, pharaoh." Seth turned to the men and the Rod once again glowed. Seth closed his eyes and pointed the Rod at the first man, his form going rigid. "This man didn't see much. He saw a shadow moving on the wall. Over there," he said and pointed towards a far wall. "It was dark and he was about to go and see what the shadow was when he fell asleep." 

Yami looked towards the wall. It was a wall heading down another hallway, one that would eventually lead to Yami's sleeping chambers. "Go look down that hall," he told the guards, who had returned from their search just to be sent off again, and turned around as Seth spoke. 

"This man saw the first fall, and woke the third. When trying to wake the first he fell." 

"That doesn't help us much." 

"Now, for the last man." Seth walked down to the final fallen body and repeated his actions. "The third man was sleeping until woken by the second. He saw the shadows moving and enveloping the second so he ran, but still he fell." Seth turned around. "That is all I can tell you, pharaoh. Their minds are blank after that." 

"Thank you very much, Seth. You have been most helpful." 

"Pharaoh!" one of the guards called and came up to him, giving him a rushed bow. "We found some blood by the wall down that hall." 

"Show me, I can try and place who's it is," Seth said, walking over to stand behind Yami. The guard looked to Yami for agreement and the pharaoh nodded. They were led down the hall to where a small pool of blood lay, about the size of Yami's palm. It was hard now, the heat after drying it hours ago. Seth knelt down and touched it with his index finger and the Rod glowed once more for a few seconds. "Whoever this was, they live in this palace." Yami didn't question how the man knew this and just listened. "There is a strong sense of loyalty here, courage, strength, and determination. It's from a male, young." 

"Can you place the age?" Yami asked, moving to stand beside Seth. 

"One moment." There was a pause then Seth spoke. "Twelve." 

"There's only one boy in this palace of that age." Yami frowned, looking at the blood with a foreboding feeling twisting in his gut. "Yugi. He's been captured." 

------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Yugi cowered at the back of his small cage and shuddered. He'd gotten sick another time since the last, and had cleaned it up without hesitation that time, as he knew what it meant if he didn't. He was starting to feel better, the fever passing, but he felt hungry now. He hadn't eaten anything in ages, and anything he had in his stomach was now in the bucket beside his cage. _'At least the fever has broken at last,'_ Yugi thought and looked over at Bakura. 

The thief was currently sitting on the stool and sharpening his daggers on a slip stone, as he had been for the last few hours. The hissing sound as the blade glided over the stone filled Yugi's ears, and his heart with dread. Every once and a while Bakura's gaze would go over to the boy in the cage and he would smirk. This would send Yugi's heart racing and his mind whirling. 

_'Why's he looking at me like that? Please, don't let him hurt me anymore. Please let Yami find me. Please...'_ He looked down at the ground and started whispering prayers to the Gods for safety. 

"What do you say, runt?" Bakura asked, lifting up his dagger and looking at it as it glinted in the sunlight. "Should I send a note to that brother of yours? I'm sure he's noticed your missing by now." He grinned and looked over to Yugi. "Yes, I think we should, if only to twist the blade in the wound." He got up and twirled the dagger around expertly. He closed the gap slowly between him and Yugi. "Ohh, but there's one little problem." 

Yugi pushed against the back of the cage and made himself as small as he could, wrapping his arms around his legs and lowering his head, but not taking his eyes from Bakura. "W-what's t-that?" he stuttered, his voice shaking, his whole body shivering. 

"I have something to write with," he said, holding up the sharpened dagger, "But I have no ink." His grin grew more and he reached for the key to Yugi's cage and undid the lock, throwing the lid open. "I intend to fix that, right now." 

Yugi's eyes widened as he was pulled to his feet and over to a small table where some parchment lay. Bakura sat down and the dagger was pressed against Yugi's upper arm. "D-don't..." Yugi shut his eyes tightly as he felt the cold blade slice through his skin with ease, creating a deep wound. He bit his lip and tried not to yell out loud, but couldn't suppress a yelp as the dagger jabbed him. Blood poured out of the wound, staining his once white tunic red with his life's liquid. _'It hurts so much!'_

------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Yami looked down at his Puzzle glowed and Yugi's voice filled his ears. 

_'It hurts so much!'_

Yami shut his eyes and clenched his hands in fists. _'No... Yugi...'_ He felt the anger raging inside of him like a violent desert storm. Yugi was being hurt, and he couldn't do anything about it. "Whoever took my brother is going to die for this!" he growled, almost yelling. He was in Yugi's room at the time and he took out his anger on Yugi's feather bed, punching the soft mattress. After a few punches and angered growls, his anger lessened, but didn't die. He stood upright and composed himself, sighing once he'd gotten a hold of his senses. 

Once calm, he returned to looking around his brother's room. He went over to a table and spotted a book lying there. He picked it up and admired the stitch work on the leather covering. _'I wonder if he made this himself,'_ Yami thought and opened it, turning a few pages. He looked at the writing and started reading to himself. 

"Today was like always. I woke in the morning, did my chores, and then went to wake Yami. He was talking in his sleep again when I went in. This time he was muttering about some beauty feeding him grapes. His face was hilarious! He would open his mouth and then half chew, as if he was eating the fruit. Oh how I would love to freeze that moment in time and keep it, just to watch it again and laugh. I didn't catch the girl's name because he woke up, but I would bet that it was a certain girl that I know he likes. No names being put down. I don't think he realised that he had been doing that, and I wasn't going to be the one to tell him. It's my little secret, and my little joke. He still doesn't get it why I put grapes beside his bed now and always offer him some." 

_'So that's why he does it.'_ Yami could feel himself warming up and his face flushing. _'I talk in my sleep? And Yugi heard me?'_ His thoughts were rushing around quickly. _'Wait, he knows who I like too? Oh brother, he'd better not try and bribe me with that information.'_ He shook his head and chuckled. _'This must be some sort of diary,'_ he thought and closed it, not reading any more. He got up from where he'd been sitting on the bed and placed the book back in its place on the table. His fingers slid over the leather covering and his brow creased in worry. 

"Don't worry, we'll find you brother." 

------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Yugi whimpered as he held his arm while sitting on the floor. He would have to expose the wound if Bakura needed more of his blood to write with, so he stayed there like an obedient animal. It hurt so much when the blade jabbed his flesh again but he didn't want to think about what would happen if he didn't do what he was told. Bakura had already beaten him for not cleaning up earlier, and now he was using his blood as ink. Objecting to moving his arm away would probably result in more gashes or beatings, and Yugi could do without them. 

Bakura finished writing and looked at the parchment for a moment. "That should do," he said in satisfaction. He lifted up the dagger to his mouth and gingerly licked off the blood. "Hm, you taste good runt." 

Yugi's face twisted into an expression of complete disgust and he shuddered and closed his eyes, resting his head on his knees. 

"Now, just to send this." Yugi looked up when Bakura said this, slight hope that the thief would leave him alone for a while. But no such luck. "If you wanted me to leave you've got another thing coming," Bakura said, as if reading Yugi's thoughts, and smirked. He looked down at the Millennium Ring and muttered a chant, make some shadows from the walls peel away and come over to him like black cloaks. The black reshaped itself into the form of a raven and it landed on Bakura's table. Bakura rolled up the parchment and the raven took it in its claws, giving one silent caw, and then it flew out of the cave. 

Bakura looked down at Yugi and saw the disappointment in his violet eyes. "Those eyes," he muttered, getting Yugi's attention. Bakura stalked over and knelt in front of Yugi. He grabbed the boy's chin in his hand and pulled his head forward with a rough jerk, making Yugi wince. "Your eyes, they're the same as that pharaoh's." His own brown orbs narrowed in annoyance. "I despise your brother, did you know that?" 

Yugi thought of a smart answer, but didn't want to risk it, so just nodded. 

"What do you know, you're not all stupid." Bakura chuckled. "Yes, I hate him. I hate him, I hate his father, and I'm glad that Marla killed him." 

Yugi's eyes widened and he pulled his head away from Bakura's hand, the rough skin scratching him a little. "How'd you know my mother's name?!" he yelled. 

Bakura stared at him for a while and then smirked. "Oh, I knew your mother very well. Great woman. Did us all a favour by killing that piece of dirt. Too bad she didn't kill that runt brother of yours too." He tilted his head to one side and looked into Yugi's eyes. "You have her height problem." 

"That's not my fault!" Yugi blurted out and Bakura laughed. 

"Of course it isn't you dolt! You know, I actually didn't even know Marla even bore a child by that bastard until yesterday, when I had a talk with those lovely merchant folk of yours." 

"The traders?" 

"Yes, the same ones that were in your presence just yesterday, about noon, as was I." He grinned at Yugi's astonished expression. 

Yugi felt his jaw drop. "You... You were with them? In the palace?" 

"Of course. Who knew it would be so easy? Those foolhardy people thought I was one of them, after being attacked by raiders, so they agreed to let me follow them. Ha! Gullible fools." 

Yugi looked up at the man with big eyes. Bakura was still kneeling close to Yugi, casting a cold shadow over the boy. "What did they say about my mother? And how do you know her?" 

Bakura didn't see the harm in telling Yugi, plus it would only burden the boy more with what he had to say, so he was more than happy to tell. "They explained how after the current pharaoh's mother died, Marla had come out of nowhere and fallen in love with that bastard. They married and stayed so for about a year I believe. Then you were born. The stories are that your birth drove her to insanity and she murdered the pharaoh in a blind rage, but I know better. She used to live near me, but she was sent on a mission to kill the pharaoh. So you see, little Yugi, your mother was nothing but a hired assassin." 

"No. I don't believe you! You're lying!" 

"Oh no I'm not. And there's more." Bakura stood up and grinned widely. "Marla was my older sister." 

-------------------------------------------------------------------   
To be continued....  
------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Whee! Evil twist! So Bakura's Yugi's uncle? Scary no? Lol. Though the ages would work out, seeing as Bakura is about ten years older than Yugi, and if his sister was older still, it would work out. Oh how my stupid little twisted mind works. More on who Yami likes later, but not for a few chapters Hope you liked! Laters peeps and please review! 

Slán slán!   
Ashla   
E-mail: 


	7. Past

Disclaimer: Yu-gi-oh! isn't mine. 

A/N: Gah! Sorry for taking so long! I was going to update it a week after the last, but our phone went dead for ages and I couldn't get onto the net at all. Forgive me my friends! -Bows.- 

**Response to reviews:**  
**Sorceress Vanessa: **Having Bakura as an uncle is a scary thought, heehee. Oh, and he's only Yugi's uncle by blood relation, so it's the only one that I'm really using ; Yami's only his nephew by name, which he can easily ignore. I hope you like this one too Thanks! 

**Niki Pound: **Yay! New reader! I hope that the rest of this story is fun for you to read. Oh yeah, I love doing that too. It's great having an imagination and putting words into the characters mouths, heehee. The stories aren't half as fun if you can't imagine them. Glad you like! Thanks! 

**Towairaito Zoon: **Heehee. Well, the fact that Yugi wrote 'girl' when he was writing about it pretty much says that this isn't a yaoi Sorry if you're a fan of it, but the lads are straight here, heehee. Thanks for the review! 

**redconvoy: **-Blinks and stares at Bakura.- Bunny-kins? Bakura! You're an evil bloodthirsty villain! No bunnies! Oh, and thanks for the review! -Gives Ryou a hug.- Cutie! 

**cwthewolf:** Here's the part Heehee. Thanks for the review! 

**wow: **Thanks for the review! So nice of ya! 

**TombRaider15: **I've no idea where that twist came from, but it made the whole story a lot more fun! And I also got a reason for Bakura to not kill Yugi straight away either, which is good Glad ya liked and thankies for the review! 

**inuyasha0001:** Thanks for the review Hope ya like! 

**Pharaoh Star Yami:** Dia is muire duit is Phadraig! Hmm, I think I spelt that wrong. Oh well Heehee. Disturbing? Heehee, oh yeah. Imagine at a family reunion, and Bakura comes in the door. Ah! You'd wanna run and lock away the sharp objects! And I'm getting this from the vast empty place that is called my mind, heehee.   
Oh, but fada stuff can be fun! I know what you mean about not being able to stop once ya start. I get like that sometimes too. I've only one other friend, in school anyway, that watches Yu-Gi-Oh, but we have such fun talks 'bout it!   
Ewie! History! I used to do the subject, but I stopped after 3rd year, coz I got the choice, lol. I don't mind it, but I do find it pretty boring at times. I'm finding it a bit easier to get Irish because I'm getting grinds out side of school, and the one I go to is great! I just hope that after the whole thing I'll still be able for honours. Thanks so much for the review agus slán go foill! 

**Chicary: **Heehee, I think that twist is giving everyone that kind of reaction. -Goes around pushing a few jaws shut.- But it works for the story, heehee. Simpsons rules! Heehee, and SideShow Bob is funny Makes a good baddy he does! Though he shouldn't use his own blood next time, heehee. Thanks for the review! 

**Roae: **I hope ya liked the twist Family fights! Heehee. The grape thing was a late entry into the story, but this needed a little humour. Thanks for the review! 

**Midnight Star: **Glad ya liked and thanks for the review! 

**Game Lover:** Hmm, I'm not sure. Maybe they used to fight all the time so his sister moved out? Heehee. -Pokes Yami- You could do better than a grape girl ya know. Thanks for the review! 

And here comes Yugi's response! 

-------------------------------------------------------------------   
Golden Sands  
Part Six  
------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Yugi stared at Bakura, his mouth gaping open like a fish's. 

"Rude to stare you know," Bakura said and chuckled while waggling his finger in the air at Yugi. 

Yugi shut his eyes and shook his head furiously, yelling, "No! There's no way... You're lying!" He covered his ears, pressed his head against his knees and slid his hands into his hair. "You can't be my uncle. You can't!" 

Bakura shrugged carelessly and stared down at the boy. "You can believe what you want, but it comes down to the fact that your mother and I were siblings. Mind you, we were never what you'd call 'close'." He grunted and leaned against a wall, arms folding across his chest. He watched and listened to Yugi muttering on and on to himself, babbling utter nonsense. "I don't know why you're so offended by this revelation. You're related to one of the most well known men in the land." He gaze left the boy and went to the sands beyond the cave entrance. "Even if it's for all the wrong reasons." An air of evil seemed to come from him as his cold eyes narrowed a little as he smirked and spoke those words. He took great pride in who, and what, he was. 

Yugi opened his eyes and looked up at Bakura, a thought flowing into his mind, something he'd noticed when Bakura spoke of Marla. "You keep talking of her in the past. What happened to her?" 

Bakura turned back to Yugi and grinned. "Are you sure you want to know?" Yugi made no reaction for a moment but then nodded so Bakura continued. "I killed her," he said simply, the words rolling off of his tongue like there was nothing wrong with what he did. 

"You killed your own sister?!" Yugi's face scrunched up a little at the thought. "What kind of monster-" 

"That was my mission," Bakura interrupted, "Her mission was to kill the pharaoh, which she did, and mine was to assassinate her, because she knew too much and was after leaking information to outside sources, and because of her betrayal, our own mother was slain one night. Turns out she actually did love that runt of a man." Bakura growled and spat to the side. "Piece of scum." 

"Did you want to kill her?" Yugi's voice was little above a whisper now. 

"You don't know how strict the laws of my trade are. You can be punished from just a simple scar, to death. Besides, betrayal is not tolerated, so death was her calling the moment she let the words about us slip past her lips." 

_'How could anybody be so heartless? He doesn't even care,'_ Yugi thought and slunk back against the cave's wall again, holding his bleeding arm tightly, hoping the pressure would soon stop the trickle of blood from flowing out. 

Bakura pushed away from the wall and stretched out, his bones cracking in his back as he bent backwards. "All right, that's enough reminiscing. Get back into that cage and not a word out of you or I'll cut out your tongue and feed it to a lizard." Bakura chuckled as Yugi rushed to his feet and back into the small monkey cage in seconds. Yugi's long chain hung out through the bars as Yugi pulled the cage door shut. When Bakura heard the click of the lock he nodded and turned around. He paused at the entrance and looked over his shoulder to Yugi and said, "Remember, not a sound. I meant what I said," before leaving. Yugi heard Bakura yelling at his horse and then the noise of the hoof beats leaving. 

Yugi let out a shuddering sigh that shook his whole body. _'I thought he would never leave.'_ He finally let the tears of pain and sadness that he had been holding back flow. They rolled down his cheeks freely and he sobbed, burying his face into his hands. "Mum," he muttered. One of his salty tears dripped onto his wound and made it sting slightly. Yugi pulled his head back and looked down at the blood. Wiping his eyes a little, he took the end of his tunic in both hands and tore a piece of the material off the end. He wrapped it around his arm as best as he could and then lay down to rest. The lack of food and the loss of blood were taking their toil on Yugi, his energy now not as boundless as it used to be. He shivered from the cold and curled up into a tight ball in an attempt to keep warm. _'How ironic. I live in a desert, and I'm cold.'_ He let his eyes wander around his prison and they fell on the lock. 

"I wonder if..." He sat up and fingered the lock gently. The metal was cold, like everything in the cave. Yugi could feel it move slightly at his touch. Tilting his head, he tried giving it a harder push and, to his great delight, it opened. Yugi's grin widened and he pushed it open fully and stepped out. He looked down as the chain clunked onto the ground behind his feet. Yugi tried to open them but they were locked a lot better than the cage had been. 

_'No harm in looking around, as long as Bakura doesn't find out,'_ he pondered and started exploring the cave. His first stop was the chamber pot at the back. He hadn't realised how badly he needed to go until then. He cringed at the smell rising from it, his face twisting into a grimace. _'That's disgusting! Doesn't he ever empty this thing?'_ He scrunched up his nose and ignored the smell. 

He sighed afterward at the relief and knelt beside a water bucket that was set beside one of the walls. There was a bowl beside it, which Yugi used to take a drink and then he filled it and sat down with a rag he found. He dampened it and attempted to clean any wound he'd gotten over the last couple of days. With what remained in the bowl he used it to wash some of his body. He felt better afterward, but still wished he didn't have to stay in the dirt and blood stained tunic. 

_'Don't get greedy now, Yugi. Be happy you were able to wash yourself.'_ He set the bowl and cloth back where they had been and rose to his feet once again. He explored the cave some more, but turned out nothing new that he didn't already know. He turned around slowly towards the entrance. _'A peek wouldn't hurt,'_ he thought and started walking towards the cloth-covered entrance, chain's scraping on the ground behind him, following him like a grey snake. His curiosity of where he was being held was pricked, so much so that he forgot to listen out for Bakura's return. The gap between him and the entrance closed and he reached out, almost touching the cloth, but he felt a tug on his ankles before he reached it. He looked down in frustration at his shackles and the chain going back to the bolt on the wall. No matter how far he reached or how long he tried, the cloth was always just out of reach. Just being so close but not being able to get there and fell the warm sun on his skin was torture enough. 

_'I bet he planned this,'_ he thought bitterly as he walked back towards the cage. He looked over his shoulder and felt a warm breeze blow in. His eyes closed and he stood taking in the warmth gratefully and he felt his determination being renewed, as was his thirst for freedom. _'I'm going to get out of here, somehow, even if it kills me!'_

------------------------------------------------------------------- 

"Pharaoh, I sense dark magic approaching," Seth said as he walked up to Yami, who was now back on his throne. 

"Yes. I feel it too." The Millennium Items in the throne room, the Puzzle and the Rod, began to glow and Yami rose from his seat. "It's not very strong though." Yami turned to the right as a black shadow flew in through one of the doors. It circled above their heads, silent. 

"It's holding something," Seth muttered. The Rod glowed and he held it above his head. "Shadows be gone!" As soon as the words left Seth's mouth the shadowed raven vanished and blew away like smoke and the rolled piece of parchment it held fell to the floor. Seth went over and picked it up and, turning to the pharaoh, he said, "I believe this is for you." 

Yami nodded and took the parchment from Seth. He untied the grubby pieces of twine tying it and carefully unrolled it. He gasped and nearly dropped it when he caught sight of the first sign of words. The red colour startled him and he knew straight away what it was. "It's written in blood." He felt the blood slowly drain from his face as an image of Yugi, bleeding to death somewhere, entered his mind. He swallowed a hard lump in his throat and read it aloud. 

"Pharaoh,   
Guess who? I bet you didn't expect to hear from me so soon, after you drove me out of my house and took all I owned. You think that you're the most powerful man in Egypt, but I'm here to show you that you're wrong. I am the most powerful man, even if I don't own a palace like you do. Power isn't what you have, but who you are, and I'm going to crush you like I almost did two years ago; like the miserable insect you really are.   
As a side note, I have a little friend of yours here with me and he's not doing too well. I'm sure you know who, you're reading a part of him right now." 

Yami had to pause for a moment to settle his nerves, and stomach, which was happily doing flips and twists, just to make him feel worse. He took a steadying breath and continued to read the end. 

"I'm not looking for anything. No, actually I am. I'm looking forward to seeing you suffer. This boy will never see you again, that I guarantee, nor will you see him, alive." 

Yami collapsed onto the throne once he'd finished. He didn't need to read the name scribbled at the end, he knew full well who the writer was. He stared at the parchment and noticed for the first time that his hands were shaking. "Seth, check the blood," he said quickly. He was almost positive it was Yugi's, but there was a very faint hope that it wasn't. _'He could be bluffing.'_

Seth nodded and took the parchment. He touched the blood with a finger and the Rod glowed. He lowered the page and frowned. "It's the same as the blood back in the hallway." 

"Thought so." Yami's nerves were shattered. The fact that the kidnapper was Bakura had never even entered Yami's mind until he got the message just then. His mind had been closed to the thought. He had refused to believe that Yugi was in the hands of that murderer, that villain, that maniac, the same man who he'd fought two years ago. 

-x-x-x- 

The seventeen-year-old pharaoh stood in the light of the setting sun and looked down over his city with love in his eyes. _'My people.'_ A warm breeze blew his cloak to one side and blew strands of hair into his face. He was wearing a black tunic, tied at the waist with a gold sash. He wore a pair of loose fitting white pants, tied around the ankles with cloth to keep sand out, and cloth shoes with leather soles covered his feet. A deep violet cloak rested on his shoulders and a look of glee on his face. His Millennium Puzzle glowed faintly from its resting place on the silk covers of his bed as if feeling his emotions. 

Yami took a deep breath and sighed. Life couldn't be better. But the pharaoh wasn't as happy on the inside as he looked. 

He looked around to make sure nobody was looking and he took out a scroll. Upon it was a challenge made by the thief Bakura and Yami was never one to back down from a challenge. He knew that he should have told somebody about it, but he didn't want anyone to get involved. "This is between me and you, Bakura. This ends tonight," he said in a determined tone and touched the hilt of the sword on his side. 

"Yami?" 

The voice startled Yami and he spun around at the soft calling of his name and his eyes met Yugi's. The ten year old was standing by the curtains on the balcony, clutching them in one hand and looking out to Yami with curious eyes. 

"Why are you talking about Bakura? What did he do now?" 

Yami bit his lip and walked over to the boy. "Yugi, you should be in bed now and you know that." He crouched down to Yugi's height and gave the boy a pat on the head. 

"And why do you have your sword?" Yugi asked, ignoring Yami's comment about being in bed. His big eyes stared hard at the blade before going to the pharaoh. "Are you going somewhere?" 

Yami knew he couldn't hide it. Yugi had this strange way of getting things out of him that nobody else could. "All right, you got me. I am going somewhere, but I won't be long, and it's a secret, okay?" He lifted an index finger and held it against his lips with a smile. "So, keep it between us?" 

"Where are you going?" 

"You're stubborn," Yami sighed and shook his head, "And you ask too many questions. Just out, don't worry about me. Your brother knows how to mind himself. So, promise you won't tell?" 

Yugi looked at him for a moment before grinning and nodding. "Promise, as long as you let me stay with you tomorrow night!" Yugi loved spending the night with his brother, who would normally tell him a tale of great heroes before they went to sleep. 

Yami laughed and nodded, getting to his feet. "That's fair. Now go to bed, and remember, no telling. I'll see you in the morning." 

"Okay!" Yugi leapt forward and hugged Yami around the waist before letting go and darting out of the pharaoh's room. Yugi was staying with a few of the stable hands at that time and they were known to sometimes get grumpy when Yugi was late. He did it so often, stopping up every night to say good night to Yami, so the older should have known he would be having a visitor before he left. Yami had forgotten about that until Yugi showed up, his mind elsewhere. 

Yami smiled after his little brother, but it soon dropped to a frown. He went out onto the balcony and looked towards the sun. "It's down. Time to leave." He checked his sword and surroundings once more and then stepped onto the balcony's edge. The winds were picking up as he made his way down the palace's walls with ease and silence, without so much as a mouse noticing him. 

He landed with a light thud and immediately pressed his body against the cooling stone wall. A lightly whinny met his ears from the stables, one he knew well. He snuck into the stables and patted his stallion, Signet Grey, on the nose. "Shush, be quiet you silly horse." He smiled and exited out the back door. 

His eyes darted around and he slipped off to one side. His form moved like a shadow through the city streets. Shutters closed on the buildings and lanterns were being put out for the night. Unbeknownst to the people of the city, their pharaoh was passing just outside their homes as silently as a master thief. 

Yami finally got out of the city and he walked through the sands. As he reached the top of one sand dune a figure emerged from the shadows and stood before him. 

"Pharaoh, I'm glad you could make it to your demise." The voice was smug, taunting. 

"I doubt that I will be the man to fall tonight. You may well regret challenging me to a duel." Yami narrowed his eyes and stood tall. The man facing him was a good head taller than Yami was, maybe more, and had a larger build, but Yami had been trained all his life to use speed to inflict injuries, and it was this speed he was counting on to win. 

Bakura's laugh filled the air and he pointed at Yami with an accusing finger. "YOU think that you will beat ME?! What a joke! You're only a mere boy, while I am a man. What can you do?" 

"You might well be surprised. Now, are we going to begin this, or stand here chatting?" Yami drew his sword, the blade making a hissing sound as it left its scabbard. 

"As you wish, but you'll be regretting those words soon." Bakura also drew his sword and swung it around, cutting through the air swiftly. "I'll make sure of it." 

-------------------------------------------------------------------   
To be continued....  
------------------------------------------------------------------- 

I know this part ended on the flashback, but it's reached the average size and the fight might take long to do, so I'll drag it out to the next part, heehee. Hope you liked it! Please review and let me know what you think! 

Slán slán!   
Ashla   
E-mail: 


	8. Mistake

Disclaimer: Yu-gi-oh! isn't mine. 

A/N: I am SO sorry for taking so long! Please forgive my shoddy timing for writing! School has been a real curse and, like I said to you before (I think), I'm in my final year of school so it's not easy. I just finished my mock exams (seven days of exams, ahh!) not long ago and I got a couple of days off. After relaxing for a bit, I took out my story and got into writing it again! And it was fun. I had this part (and up to part twenty) done but I lost them. It's really hard to rewrite something if you're happy with it the first time, but I like how this came out. This is actually my favourite version of this part (I had about five). I hope you enjoy!

Sorry again for taking so long. Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I couldn't do this without you!

This part starts with the continuation of the flashback in the last chapter. The flashback ends with '-x-x-x-'. R&R folks!

* * *

Golden Sands  
Part Eight

* * *

  


Goosebumps rose on the pharaoh's exposed arms from the cool air and he suppressed a shiver. Yami's sharp violet eyes remained focused on his opponent, whom he noticed was sizing him up. Yami's suspicions grew when a wry smirk pulled across Bakura's chapped lips. Bakura had noticed something that boosted his chances of winning. The thief's gaze locked with the pharaoh's. 

"My, my," Bakura spoke causally, throwing Yami's senses on high alert with the quick thought of, _'What is he up to?'_. Bakura continued. "I was expecting a worthy battle with a worthy foe, but you disappoint me," he sneered.

"What are to babbling about?" Yami barked, taking a step to one side. Bakura mimicked this action and the two circled each other.

"What kind of foe turns up to battle an Item user with just a blade?" Bakura's smirk grew as Yami's angered expression switched to one of worry.

"Y-you have a Millennium Item?" Yami stuttered in astonishment, pausing in his step. "You can't! The Millennium Items are only given by the Gods to people who are pure of heart!"

"Well then I guess they made a mistake." Bakura laughed evilly and reached inside his tunic, pulling out the golden Item and holding it in the moonlight for the pharaoh to see. "Pharaoh, meet my Ring," he said mockingly and dropped the Item to his chest. Yami's eyes widened and were glued to the Item around the Master Thief's neck. His fear was soon overcome with immense anger.

"How did you get the Millennium Ring?" Yami demanded, his authoritative voice booming in the silence. "Tell me!"

"You want the story? I'll gladly tell you, for it will only cause you pain." Bakura twisted the hilt of his blade in his hands. "I stole it from that Mage of yours." Yami's expression remained hard. The mage that Bakura spoke of was one of Yami's oldest friends, Mahaddo. The man was older than Yami, but younger than Bakura, and had left the palace a year ago to travel and learn stronger magic. His assistant, Mana, a young, spunky girl around Yami's age, and Yami's secret love, accompanied him.

"What did you do to him?" he growled, eyes narrowing to slits.

Bakura shrugged carelessly and replied, "What do you think, boy? Do I have to spell it out for your simple mind?" Yami felt a lump in his throat form when Bakura finished, with a murderous grin, "He is slain."

Yami's reason broke. He rushed forward at Bakura with a war cry and slashed at the thief with his blade, his anger blocking his judgment. Bakura blocked the clumsy strike and punched Yami into his stomach with his free hand with tremendous power, winding and sending the young man careening backwards to the ground. Yami gasped and jerked his blade up, Bakura's blade connecting with his with a loud clang a second after he hit the sands. Yami clenched his teeth and glared into Bakura's chestnut-brown orbs. Bakura laughed at the young man's efforts and applied more pressure to his blade, drawing a struggling grunt from the man below him as the blades inched closer to him.

Yami drew his legs up and kicked out hard, kicking Bakura's legs from underneath him. He rolled to one side as the larger man fell forward and he leapt to his feet, spinning around and driving his blade at Bakura. The thief saw this coming and rolled his body away from the attack but Yami's blade was too close. Bakura screamed in agony as the blade tore into the flesh underneath his right eye. Struggling to his feet, Bakura faced Yami in a wild rage, blood pouring out of the large laceration on his face, his right eye only seeing red now.

"You little bastard!" he screamed at Yami. He roared angrily and ran at the pharaoh, slashing out with his blade. Both men took turns in attack and defending, but Bakura had the upper hand and Yami was finding it increasingly difficult to ward off the thief's relentless onslaught. Both men's bodies were shining with sweat under the moonlight from the effort, blood trickling down their bodies from numerous gashes the other had made.

Yami's chest heaved as he gulped in breaths of air. He was trained in swordplay while on solid, stone ground. Although a brilliant swordfighter, he was an amateur to duelling on the sands and he had lost his footing many times. Bakura, on the other hand, was used to all surfaces and used this to his advantage.

The broader man ran at the pharaoh and took another swing but the smaller and younger of the two nimbly dodged. "Stay still you little rat," Bakura growled and swung around, grinning as his sword caught Yami's exposed back and tore a cry of pain from the pharaoh as he gouged a deep hole in the young flesh.

_'Face him!'_ Yami's mind screamed but his movements were sluggish and Bakura had his legs kicked from under him before he could react. Yami's lean body hit the sands roughly and Bakura stepped on his back to keep him down, his heel digging painfully into the deep, fresh wound he'd just inflicted.

"Just look at you," Bakura said, laughter in his voice. "Face down in the dirt like a street rat!" He applied his full body weight down on Yami and kicked the pharaoh's blade away, laughing at the anguished cry that echoed from the pharaoh's lips.

White-hot pain coursed through Yami from his back where blood gushed out openly, staining the sands below him. His vision was dotted with white and black specks and he knew that the pain would cause him to lose consciousness soon. _'I have to get up,'_ was his thought but the action was far from easy to complete. "Get off of me!" he yelled and was surprised when Bakura complied, removing all weight from Yami's back. The pharaoh rolled over onto his side and pushed himself up to sit.

"Ah, ah, ah," Bakura's voice taunted, the tip of his blade pressing into Yami's neck to restrict his movements. "I'm not done with you yet." The twisted smirk on Bakura's lips and the blood covering his face gave him a terrifying appearance and sent shivers down Yami's spine but he refused to show anything, his eyes burning with fury. Yami's fear became apparent in his eyes when he noticed that the Ring had begun to glow an eerie blue in response to its holder's hate for the pharaoh.

"What? Are you scared of me?" Bakura cackled upon seeing Yami's face go hard, but his tanned skin paled considerably. "You should be," Bakura said in a husky voice. The Ring glowed brightly and the air around them dropped to a biting temperature, cold enough to almost stop the blood flowing in their veins. Bakura was bringing them to the Shadow Realm, a realm full of shadowed monsters that would forever feed on your soul if you were to be lost there.

_'Why did I leave the Puzzle behind?'_ Yami questioned himself, not finding an answer for his stupid action. With his Puzzle he would have been able to protect himself from Bakura's dark magic, but he was helpless now, completely vulnerable.

The glow of the Ring grew and Yami could see the murderous glint in Bakura's eyes as well as the euphoria the thief was experiencing from seeing this man of such great power at his mercy. The thief removed the blade from Yami's neck and the pharaoh began to rise but was thrown back down in a painful heap with a sharp kick to the ribs. Yami groaned in agony and tried to get to his feet. Bakura pulled his leg back and struck a sharp blow to Yami's head, almost knocking the pharaoh out cold. "Where do you think you're going?" he asked cruelly, watching Yami feebly crawl away from him. Another kick to Yami's stomach sent the man tumbling down the side of a sand dune to land in a heap at the bottom, the shadows and evil souls of the Shadow Realm slowly gliding closer to the fallen man.

The Ring glowed brightly, Bakura's grin grew, and Yami's end was near. "I believe it's time to bid you a farewell." Bakura's voice was full of mockery.

Yami's eyes widened in panic as a slip of shadow wrapped around his wrist and began pulling him towards the blackest hole forming nearby. Red eyes could be seen in this dark hole and quick flashes of white fangs glinted now and again, accompanied with low growls and snarls of the inhumane monsters that lurked within.

Yami's body temperature dropped as more spirits flowed over his form and slowly sucked the life from him. "No!" he screamed, lashing out at the evil souls in vain. Bakura's laugh rang in his ears and his body went limp, too weak to protest anymore. "So this is my end," he whispered bitterly, his eyes slowly dimming as the darkness thickened. Clawed arms reached out from the shadows, groping and scratching Yami's paralysed form. "And the last thing I am to hear is his vicious laughter..."

"Pharaoh!"

Yami turned his head towards a warm glow that suddenly erupted through the cold darkness. The monster's screamed in agony and the scratching claws receded.

"Don't give up, my pharaoh!" called a voice he knew well.

"Seth?" Yami murmured just before his eyes rolled back in his head and he saw only darkness.

x-x-x-

Yami was eternally grateful to Seth for saving him that day. The High Priest had crossed Yugi moments after he had left Yami's chamber and, using the power of the Rod, uncovered what the small boy knew and was able to piece together what was on the pharaoh's mind. Seth was lucky in that Bakura's magical powers were extremely weak after calling on the Shadow Realm but the thief had escaped before Seth could take him down, but Yami was saved. The knotted scar running down Yami's back was a constant reminder of that night.

Yami had ordered a search party to be organised and the hunt for Mahaddo began, but to no avail. The mage was dead, but nothing was ever found of Mana. The young woman and Yami had been secretly courting for months and Yami had promised that as soon as she returned he was going to proclaim his love for her to the kingdom. But this never came to pass. Yami's heart was crushed and his hate for the thief grew.

_'I'll never forget,'_ Yami thought and gripped the handles of his throne tightly until his knuckles went white. _'Bakura, I swear by the Gods that you will pay for eternity for harming those close to me!'_

* * *

Yugi tapped his fingers against his knees while he listened to Bakura's steady breathing. Night had fallen hours ago but Yugi hadn't slept a wink, not when this could be his only shot for freedom. While he had been wandering around a few hours ago he had discovered an old rusty dagger hidden in the back of the cave. It looked like it had been there for years, forgotten about and covered by sand that had blown into the cave.

Yugi's hand left his knee and wandered down to the sash at the small of his back. He touched the cold hilt of the dagger hidden under the sash and bit his lip. _'Can I do this?'_ he though, the images of stabbing Bakura in his sleep almost making him gag. He never enjoyed the sight of blood, and death scared him to no end. _'I'd be just like him.'_ Violet eyes went to the sleeping man in the bed and he stared at him through the dark, debating with himself over and over again.

_'Do it!'_ his mind screamed at him eventually. _'If you don't he'll just do it to you sooner or later.'_

Nodding to himself, he took a deep breath, checked the dagger once more, moved onto his knees and pushed the cage open silently, grateful that Bakura didn't check the cage's lock before going to bed. Creeping out slowly, he took the chains from his ankles and picked them up, setting them back down carefully once he was outside the cage so as they didn't make any noise.

The air was still. There wasn't a sound to be heard save for Bakura's soft snoring. Yugi was sure that his thumping heart could be heard it was beating so hard.

Shivering from both the cold and the fear he felt, Yugi withdrew the dagger and crept slowly towards the bed. One step. Two steps. Bakura coughed and Yugi froze suddenly, eyes trained on the figure under the covers. _'Please don't wake up,'_ he pleaded silently, remaining motionless until he was sure that Bakura was still asleep. He stepped closer. As he approached the bedside he noticed that his whole body was shaking, the loose dagger blade rattling lightly in the hilt.

Bakura shifted.

Yugi's breath caught in his throat as Bakura rolled over onto his back. He didn't wake up, much to Yugi's relief. _'It's now or never,'_ he thought, pulling up the dagger above his head. He never felt the warm tears rolling down his cheeks, as he looked skyward, eyes closed. He pleaded with the Gods, _'Please forgive my soul.'_ He sucked in a sharp breath and plunged the dagger down towards Bakura's chest.

Yugi cried out in shock and dismay when he felt the tight grip of a large hand around his small wrist. "No," he breathed, his eyes locked with the chestnut brown pair that were staring coldly back at him. "No." Yugi's voice shook from fear as the large man slowly rose from his bed, his right wrist still in his strong grasp. "No," he pleaded again, whimpering, tears flowing freely down his cheeks.

"'No' what?" Bakura snarled, his eyes giving off an evil glow as he backed Yugi towards the wall. "You little runt." He gave Yugi's wrist a sharp twist, relishing the boy's pained scream that followed the loud snap of bone. The dagger clattered to the ground and was kicked aside. "That was some stunt you pulled," Bakura growled, picking the small boy up by his broken wrist and slamming him against the wall, a sickening crack sounding as Yugi's head connected with the stone.

Yugi's head hung limply and he groaned, his vision slowly slipping to darkness. "Oh no you don't," he heard faintly and his vision returned, even though blurred, along with every pain. "You're not going to get off that easily." Bakura was using the Millennium Ring to keep Yugi conscious. Yugi felt something warm looping around his ankles and wrists and when Bakura let him go, his body hung slumped on the wall, chains of golden energy holding him up. Raising his head slowly, he caught the faint glint of the rusty dagger as Bakura picked it up from the floor and returned to standing in front of him.

"Now, let me show you what happens to people like you," Bakura hissed and Yugi screamed in terror.

* * *

To be continued...

* * *

Well I said all I had to say at the start. Please review! Thank you!

Slán slán!  
Ashla


	9. Location found

Disclaimer: Yu-gi-oh! isn't mine. 

A/N: I'm mean... 

* * *

Golden Sands   
Part Nine

* * *

Yugi's small form shivered in fear, suspended from the cave wall by burning chains of magic looped around his ankles and his wrists. Bakura's shadowed form stepped up to the boy and held the rusted dagger pointed straight at Yugi's eye. 

"No," the man growled as Yugi shut his violet orbs, "You're going to watch this." Yugi whimpered, as his eyes opened against his will, Bakura using his shadow magic to manipulate him. Bakura relished in the younger's fear for a moment. He moved the blade closer; close enough that one hiccup would cause Yugi to lose that eye. The boy bit his lip and continued to whimper, sweat droplets sliding down his soft skin, and tried not to move. 

Bakura slowly lowered the blade and rested it on the boy's right cheek. He dragged the dagger down, its rusted blade not succeeding in gashing Yugi's skin open but it did leave a painful scratch in its path. The thief finally moved the rusted point from Yugi's face and pressed it against Yugi's left thumb, pressing it into the tender flesh and drawing a droplet of blood. "This stupid pharaoh went to Hell," he teased, pressing into the thumb more. 

Yugi's breath was short and ragged, wide eyes looking up as Bakura moved the blade, slowly, to the next finger and saying tauntingly, "This stupid pharaoh was fed to Ammet (1)." Yugi knew how this child's rhyme went, at least the known version, and was dreading the end. 

"B-Bakura... P-please don't..." Yugi attempted to plead with the tomb robber but his pleas fell on deaf ears. The blade dug into his little finger; the next line of the twisted children's rhyme was said. The next finger - the next line. 

"And this stupid pharaoh-" Bakura paused on the final line, hovering the blade over the base of Yugi's middle finger, smirking evilly down at his nephew. 

"Don-" 

"-lost everything." Bakura drew back the blade and struck Yugi's finger with full force. He clamped his free hand over Yugi's mouth as the boy screamed in agony but he didn't stop there. Ever so slowly he began a sawing motion back and forth, back and forth, and slowly severed the limb from Yugi's hand. The rusted blade was almost blunt so it was a long and agonising experience for Yugi. He screamed until his throat was hoarse; hot tears streamed down his face. Blood was running down his arm in small rivulets. 

Bakura watched the digit fall and bounce once on the floor before rolling a little and stopping by his bare feet. He grinned cruelly and looked to his nephew who was still screaming in pain. "Shut up!" he snapped in aggravation and grabbed a handful of the boy's hair with one hand and banged his young skull off of the stonewall harshly. Yugi gasped once more and then fainted from the pain, his whole body going limp. Blood continued to flow from the severed limb but Bakura ignored it and left the boy hanging on the wall. 

The thief plucked the small digit from the floor of the cave and rolled it over in his hand, licking the blood from the dagger as he did so in a casual manner. He licked his lips free of blood afterward and chuckled, walking away from Yugi, casually tossing the limb onto a table, and clambering back into bed, falling asleep as if nothing had happened. 

The cave fell into silence once more, the faint, burning chains holding Yugi to the wall humming being the only sound in the cold Egyptian night.

* * *

"I don't want excuses! I want results!" Yami hollered, rising swiftly from his throne. His hard glare fell on the quivering man on his knees before him. "Get your men back out there, Captain, and do not return to me without some useful information!" he spat. His face did not soften until the man had backed out of his sight. As soon as he was alone, Yami collapsed onto his throne, buried his face into his hands and heaved a shuddering sigh. 

_'Oh, my brother, where are you?'_ Yami thought miserably, his body shivering slightly as he strained to hold in his emotions. Since the arrival of Bakura's letter, Yami's forces had been out on a search for the missing half-prince. They had searched every building in the city, scoured every street, questioned every citizen, but all to no avail. Nobody in the entire city had any information for their pharaoh. 

As day broke, the search had been extended past the city's boundaries to the desert beyond, but Yami knew that without some help it would be easier to find a needle in a haystack than it would be to find Yugi. 

"All I need is a sign," Yami whispered, lifting his face from the palms of his hands. He paused to stare at the wetness on his skin and sighed, wiping the tears away. _'A pharaoh can not show weakness,'_ Yami scolded himself and schooled his features into an expression of thought, even though his inside was being eaten away by worry. His eyes wandered to the golden sands beyond the city as the last of the morning's mists were blown away by the heated winds. 

"My Pharaoh," a slick voice broke the silence of the throne room and took Yami's attention. Violet orbs rolled to gaze upon the High Priest, as he stood at the entrance to the room, his upper body bent in a bow to his king. 

"Yes, Seth?" Yami straightened his composure. "I pray your search has been more fruitful?" 

"Unfortunately," Seth sighed as he approached, "my own search has not yielded any valuable information." He halted before the pharaoh and bowed his head again. "A number of people did recall hearing the sound of a horse's gallop through the streets at the dead of night, but that is all. The soldiers have all ready searched those areas nearby, and-" 

" - nothing was found," Yami interjected, shaking his head. He pressed his fingertips to his temple and sighed. "This is getting us nowhere," he growled in agitation. 

"I understand that our pharaoh is anxious, but please have faith in the Gods," the priest said, tenderly fingering the Millennium Rod resting in his sash. 

"The Gods? Pah! Well they are not being much help right now are they!" Yami snapped venomously, opening his eyes upon hearing Seth inhale sharply. The pharaoh frowned at the man's hardened expression when their sights locked. 

"Please, pharaoh, do not question the Gods by losing yourself to your anger." Seth's voice was dead, his eyes narrowed slightly. "If you anger them now, in your time of need, they may turn their backs on you." Yami knew Seth was right. He needed the Gods more than ever now and needed to maintain full faith in them. 

"Yes, you are right. I just wish they would send me a sign of some sort. A clue to the whereabouts of... my brother," Yami trailed off. His stomach felt unsettled at that moment and both Millennium Items in the room gave off a sudden burst of light. "Do you feel that?" Yami questioned, pushing himself up to stand. His whole body was reacting to something, something the Items were now sensing. This happened when the Items felt that there was a threat nearby, a magical threat, and their holder's physical and magical senses were heightened past their normal levels. Eyesight became razor sharp, almost hawk-like in quality; smell strengthened, taste improved so much so that the holder could taste the dust in the air, and their mental focus sharpened to improve the holder's powers. 

The Items acted the same as adrenalin in the body, save much more powerfully. 

"Yes, pharaoh," Seth replied, turning to look around the throne room. "A dark presence approaches us." 

Yami sniffed the air and caught the scent of stale magic, the scent of dark powers. He stood tall in front of his throne and searched the area with his improved eyesight, catching the motion of a shadow by one of the windows. "There!" He pointed to the shadowed raven as it spread its wings and flew upward before diving suddenly, aiming itself at Yami. Seth moved swiftly and chanted a banishment spell, the raven halting in its attack and vanishing in a wisp of black smoke. 

"It had the same magical pattern as before," Seth voiced as the small package the raven had been carrying fell to the floor. Each magic user had their own personal signature on their magic, like an invisible fingerprint. That could only mean one thing. 

"Bakura," Yami snarled. The pharaoh passed the priest out and marched across the marble floor, his Puzzle shining as it produced protective energies around its holder as a precaution. Yami crouched down by the small package and examined it in silence without touching it. It was a simple roll of animal skin smaller than Yami's hand and was tied with a small piece of string. After determining that it held no threat, he picked it up from the floor and stood. 

Seth stepped up to Yami and extended a hand to him. "Let me, phar-" 

"No! I will do this." Yami took a deep breath and gripped the end of the knot in the string and pulled. The fowl stench of blood and flesh assaulted Yami's heightened senses and he had to turn his head away and cough to clear his airways of the horrid smell. Covering his mouth with his hand, Yami looked back to the cloth as it fell open, exposing what it held within. 

Yami gasped, his eyes widening and jaw going slack. "No," he breathed, dropping the cloth and stepping away as the small digit within rolled out onto the polished floor. There was no doubt in his mind that this limb belonged too Yugi; it had his ring on it. 

"That... That MONSTER!" Yami screamed, all coherencies in his mind vanishing as it became clouded with rage. "He will pay!" Yami spun on his heels and darted from the throne room, unaware of Seth's calls. He sprinted through the hallways towards his chambers, ignoring the servants and their quizzical stares as he passed. 

Upon arriving at his chamber, Yami ran to a far wall, grabbed the rug which hung there and pulled it down with a sharp tug, revealing a hidden door behind, protected by a magical lock. The pharaoh placed his fingers to the lock and muttered a chant. When the lock did not open, Yami cursed and tried again, his words tumbling out in a jumble. After failing a few more times, the young man stopped to calm himself and collect the correct words in his mind before speaking them slowly and clearly. The lock opened on the next try. 

Yami stepped into the cold, darkened room and waved his hand, his Puzzle lighting the room brightly. A solid gold stand rested in the middle of the room, the walls covered with shelves full of books. Spell books. Upon the stand rested a large book with a thick leather cover. The book was currently closed but as Yami approached a strong wind whipped around him and whispered words to him. Yami closed his eyes to listen and smiled. 

The Gods were speaking with him, advising him. 

"Thank you," Yami whispered gratefully to the winds, "and please forgive my doubt." When he opened his eyes once more the book lay opened, the fluttering pages falling to rest as the winds died with a final whisper, _'Forgiven.'_

Under the light of his Millennium Puzzle, the pharaoh read the words on the pages before him with a strong, loud voice. As soon as he finished the chant he closed his eyes and relaxed. 

"Ah!" Yami gasped in pain and threw his head back, mouth hanging open in a silent cry, his eyes shooting open to stare blindly at the ceiling as the glow from the Puzzle increased and surrounded him. 

As Yami's eyes clouded over he could see an image forming before him. The soft wisps of colour swirled in circles before banding together and creating a clear picture for Yami. His unseeing eyes studied the image closely, intently. With a sudden gasp of recognition, the vision vanished and Yami collapsed to his knees, everything falling into darkness as the Puzzle ceased to glow. 

"Pharaoh!" 

Yami felt arms around his shuddering form and he looked up into icy blue eyes, currently narrowed with worry. A faint smile pulled on Yami's lips as he coughed out, "Seth, I know where Yugi is." 

* * *

To be continued...

* * *

**(1) Ammet** - (This is my sister's version, which is more accurate than mine I'm sure. She's an Egyptian fanatic! Heehee) Egyptians believed that, if a person lived a sinful life, in death their heart would be weighed against the feather of Ma'at (Justice). If ones heart was evil, it would out-way the feather and be eaten by the Swallowing Monster (Ammet). To Egyptians, their heart was their centre of being, so to have it eaten by the Ammet is the greatest dishonour, insult and fate; it was like everything they ever were was destroyed. 

A/N: Oh. My. God! I am _SO_ sorry for taking this long to get this story updated! If you have been reading my profile you'll know why this is taking so long. The hardest part of this chapter to write was to get the part with Yami started. Yugi's piece I knew, but getting it right was torture! I'm still not as happy with it as I was with the original version, but I'll have to make do. It's a bit shorter too... Hope you liked it though! 

I will be starting college soon, so story time will be hard to get into (again), but I will _NOT_ let this story die. I will finish it, because I know where it goes, heehee. 

Thank you all for being so patient with me! Thank you for reading this too! Please review and tell me your views. Until next time! 

Slán slán!   
Ashla  



End file.
